Elia Viviani withdraws from Giro d'Italia: It's clear that I am not at peace
May 23 2019 12:36 am CET
Elia Viviani (c)Sigrid Eggers | Deceuninck - Quick-Step Cycling Team
Deceuninck-Quick-Step's Elia Viviani has withdrawn from the Giro d'Italia at the end of the eleventh stage of the race. The Italian retired just before the start of the mountain stages.
Viviani finished in the fourth position of the 11th stage of the race, in the second place in the second, eighth and 10th stages and won the third day but was downgraded for irregular sprinting. The rider has decided to give up and go home to try to find what was failing at the race.
"It's clear that I am not at peace," said the rider to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. "In the morning I'm happy to meet the fans but then something doesn't work. If I had understood what was not working, I would have won today. I probably have to take a moment with myself and recover my mental energy. I will try to find the power I had before arriving here and that I showed in the first stages.
"I did three second places and a first place that was downgraded, maybe I miss the explosiveness but I don't think that my shape is gone. I'm sorry because it would have been nice to win in the Italian jersey here. I'm not angry but disappointed, it's normal when you don't achieve your goals. My Giro ends today, I have to find serenity and pull the plug. If I had won maybe the decision would have been different."
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