It has not been a very successful Tour de France for Intermarché – Wanty Gobert so far. The team that invariably contributes to the early break in other years, is a bit behind the times this edition. Sports director Hilaire Van Der Schueren (73) was sharp for his team in an interview in our newspaper. It clearly did not miss its effect, because with Jan Bakelants in the leading group and Lorenzo Rota in the chasing group, his team was represented on the outposts on Tuesday.
–
“I think I rode a very good stage. I deserved better”, Jan Bakelants opened in Saint-Gaudens. “I don’t get much in return. Konrad was strong. I couldn’t follow the Austrian champion on the penultimate climb. I lost a nice podium”, concluded Jan Bakelants in the drizzly Saint-Gaudens where he eventually finished eighth.
[19:07] Simon Fallon-Kund
“I knew there was a group behind it, but I wanted to ride my own rhythm on the second col of the day. I didn’t want to wait. You never know what will happen then. For the same money, there is no good cooperation. Konrad was the only one coming from behind. So he was obviously very strong, because Doubey and I were not driving slow at the time. We just ran Juul-Jensen off the wheel without really accelerating. That is all beautiful.”
– Photo: BELGA
“I was also a bit hesitant with David Gaudu chasing me. Would he wait for the Portet d’Aspet? Then I wouldn’t be able to follow him, so I decided to go at my own pace. It was shit that Konrad played it so well. He attacked me very quickly after I got off the lead. Doubey had already ridden there empty. I could keep him at the same distance for a while, but then I cracked something. Suddenly the best was gone. In the last kilometer up there it was a bit of raking. The bird had taken flight. He clearly didn’t want to ride the final with me. In the end, I’m happy Konrad wins, because it was a song he performed from so far. But of course I am disappointed that I was ‘only’ eighth. On the last slope I felt that I was among the strongest of the group. Eighth is a disappointment. I let myself do something in the sprint. I got a bit boxed in, with a lot of speed loss as a result. In the end there was not enough left to get out what I was entitled to.”
Return to Hilaire
“And yet I’m happy with the race I rode. I showed that I participated. I’ve been feeling a bit underrated lately. There was also a lot of criticism of the team. And on everything that hangs around. I really care about that. I think I have to justify myself exactly for coming here to participate. Then the journalists ask: How do you evaluate the first part of the Tour? Then I answer: not bad, but you need some luck to do that. If I say that, then you just don’t get laughed in your face. I think that is a shame. I showed that I was still driving. If I then have the space, that I can also ride a bike a bit. I also thought it was weak how sports director Hilaire Van der Schueren expressed it in the newspaper (Het Nieuwsblad, ed). The way in which he said that could be better. More diplomatic. I didn’t see him all day yesterday. He will probably be doing an interview. Tomorrow is my column. We’ll straighten that out then. Then I’ll tell you what I think.”
–
Photo: AFP
“I think my opinion is always more balanced and perhaps more correct. You also have to put it all in perspective. We drive around here with eight drivers. If you add up the wages of those people, it is not a million euros. Far from. I know what I have. That’s small change. Then you should not be measured by the standards of the other teams. Look at Ineos-Grenadiers, at Deceuninck – Quick-Step: one driver effectively costs more than our entire Tour team combined. And they can indeed pay a doctor and an osteopath. Come on, I don’t think that’s fair to compare,” said Bakelants, who also became very emotional when he talked about his daughter. “I enjoyed myself. It was exactly five years ago today that Julia was born in the Tour. Then I didn’t go home. I had to think about it a lot of course. That’s why I now gave her my regards through the camera. Those are all things that came into play today. It would have been nice to come home with a really good result today, but Konrad was stronger. And beyond that? It was no longer for the first prize.”
ALSO READ: ANALYSIS. Compare the budgets and Hilaire Van Der Schueren has nothing to be ashamed of
– .
