For Tom Dumoulin, 2020 was the year of his return to the peloton after persistent injuries, although it was postponed until the Tour of the Ain in August due to the corona virus.
Dumoulin finished 7th in the Dauphiné and 7th in the Tour de France, after which he also took part in the World Cup and the Walloon classics.
Dumoulin was also scheduled for the Tour of Spain, but in the Vuelta the Dutch Giro winner of 2017 did not find his best legs again.
“Both our coaching staff and I think it is the best choice to get off”, Dumoulin said today.
“At the start of the Vuelta I already felt tired and that feeling remained. It makes no sense for me to continue, because then I might mortgage the next season.”
“It is a shame to leave the Vuelta, but it is the right choice. We all agree. With Primoz we are in good shape in the standings. Hopefully the team can take the win home.”
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Sporting director Merijn Zeeman responds to Tom Dumoulin’s stepping down: “It is a pity that Tom is going home. Every day we monitored his fatigue, but it kept increasing. “
“Despite this, he has played an important role in the team and has done a good job.”
“Although his short participation in the Vuelta has been a good investment for 2021, we now see that we are encountering limits and we take the responsibility that goes with it.”
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