Tour de France - Mikel Landa: It’s difficult to be with the top contenders on days like these
Jul 08 2019 01:12 am CET
Photo of Mikel Landa
Movistar Team finished in the 17th position of the team time trial at the Tour de France. The leaders of the Spanish squad lost some time to their direct rivals.
The team time trial of the second stage in the French grand tour was 27.6 kilometres long between the Royal Palace and the Atomium in Brussels, Belgium. From the start of the competition teams like Ineos showed why they were the favourites to take the stage win and at the end, Jumbo-Visma beat everybody by stopping the clock in 28 minutes and 57 seconds.
Movistar completed the course in 30 minutes and two seconds, finishing more than one minute behind the Dutch team and losing one minute and ten seconds in the General Classification to Steven Kruiswijk and 45 seconds with Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal.
"This 45? gap was within the margins we expected to lose today," said Landa. "I’m really happy with our team; they really kept us Nairo (Quintana) and myself well protected. Our team composition is more focused on the mountains, and it’s difficult to be with the top contenders on days like these."
"It’s OK, a gap within what we expected," explained Valverde. "It was a demanding time trial, but above that, a really fast one, which suits squads like Ineos really better. We’re satisfied with this result. It’s a hilly finish tomorrow, so we will have to remain really focused."
Tour de France - Mikel Landa: It’s difficult to be with the top contenders on days like these https://t.co/2hfHH6bDqA | @Movistar_Team#TdF2019
— CyclingPub (@CyclingPub) July 7, 2019
?A.S.O./Pauline BALLET pic.twitter.com/QjOI1yw45k
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