Mauri Vanceignant is frustrated: ‘He was in perfect shape’, Sylvain Moniquet: ‘He was in a good shape’ | gyro

Vansevenant wore the pink jersey around his waist for 160km, but cracked in the final kilometers uphill. “Up to 7 kilometers from the finish I was in a really good position to take the leader’s shirt, but the moment Kamna left, I immediately felt my legs were full. I couldn’t follow him,” admitted a tired Vancevenant.

“Since then, I’ve only tried to limit the damage. I fought for every second.”

“Of course I’m disappointed, I was in the perfect position to ride a very nice race. Then it’s very disappointing that I screwed up in the end.”

“I did everything I could, but you have to take every opportunity. I felt good for a long time, but in the end it was really dying.”

Vansevenant eventually crossed the line in fifth, after a quick race against Moniquet. “It’s not that much anymore. It was just a dying swan race. The calf had already drowned.”

Vansevenant (22) has already issued some business cards, but Sylvain Moniquet, who is two years older than him, finished fourth in the famous Giro finish. “I did my best to get fourth. We worked together the whole time, and the last climb was fun.”

Moniquet shares Vansevenant’s disappointment. “But it was really hard. Sometimes he wasn’t happy because I wasn’t in the lead anymore, but I did my best. And in the wind, I also had to keep riding smart. I’m happy. Because I didn’t have my best leg up front, I was a bit short.” Maybe in a few years…”

“Anyway, climbing 25 kilometers is not the best thing for me. I am also happy, because I did not cut in the Vuelta a year ago. Now it’s 4 days later. By the way, I made it this stage. And there are still opportunities.”