Richie Porte: It's a shame I couldn't finish it off
Jul 04 2017 12:07 am CET
Photo of Richie Porte © Mary Cárdenas / CyclingPub.com
Richie Porte (BMC) showed his strength by being in the lead during the day's last ascent. Even though the rider didn't win the stage, he managed to have a first test for his climbing legs.
It was surprising to see BMC's leader in front in a finale that was bound to be for uphill sprinters, but he felt that it was the thing to do. "The guys put me in a fantastic position there at the final, it felt good. But with around 500 meters to go, I felt it was a bit too far. I think it's good for the team, a really stronger day and it's a shame I couldn't finish it off," said the rider at the end of the stage.
The fight to get a good position in the peloton was not a last-moment matter but instead lasted many kilometres. "The last 40 kilometres was a hell of a fight, it was a dangerous, tricky final, so it's nice to get through that one unscathed," Porte commented.
During the last stretch of the day, BMC showed to be a strong team and Porte himself got a lead position, even having Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) in his wheel for a moment. "All the guys shipped in today, and we were really strong. It's good for the confidence," he concluded.
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