New Vuelta a Espana leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) didn’t quite scratch his head when he was asked after stage 5 what kind of rider he considered himself to be, but the 24-year-old certainly admitted he was increasingly unsure.
“That’s a very good question,” Dumoulin said, “I am asking myself more and more what kind of a rider I am, too. I am still a time triallist, and that’s where I’ve got all my victories as a professional so far, but I’m starting to climb very well, too. It’s all progressing, and who knows what my limits are?
"I haven’t tried to go for a general classification in a Grand Tour, but maybe from now on I should start looking at week-long stage races in one part of the season and just focus on the time trials in the other.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Dumoulin’s versatility has already seen the Giant-Alpecin pro take a second place in the GP Quebec and sixth in Montreal last year, so one-day racing is perhaps another new string to his bow, too.
On Wednesday Dumoulin ruled out even thinking about fighting for a Grand Tour GC at least until next year at the earliest. But in the 2015 Vuelta, after his second place in El Caminito del Rey and a 13th place in the front group at Vejer de la Frontera, staying near the front on a stiff uphill finish at Alcalá de Guadaira earned Dumoulin the Netherland’s first Vuelta lead since Bauke Mollema in 2011.
On stage 5, Dumoulin finished 15th, two seconds back, whilst Chaves was 21st, a further six seconds behind. The tiny gap between the two meant that Dumoulin is now one second ahead overall - and the new race leader.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1EXhPSx
No comments:
Post a Comment