Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 7:22 pm
For a moment, Wilko Kelderman looked like he was really in contention for victory on the third stage of the Tour of Switzerland, but the 33-year-old Dutchman eventually had to admit his superior punching and especially Thibaut Nys. Visma rider | However, Rent Bike was mainly satisfied with its performance after that.
The Tour of Switzerland is Kelderman's first race in a long time. The experienced cyclist broke his collarbone in March in a crash in the final stage of Paris-Nice. However, Kelderman showed on Swiss soil on Tuesday that his level is really good. “This feels good,” Kelderman said afterwards on his team's website.
“It was another stressful day. Switzerland is also known for that. It's always fast stages and you go up and down all day. As a team we rode a good final. We were always at the front. We knew it was going to be a tough final with a steep climb at the end.
“I've actually been thinking about starting when I can,” Kelderman says. “In the last few hundred meters I already saw my chance. From that moment on, my mind calmed down and I rode as fast as I could until the end. Unfortunately, in the end five riders were a little faster.
“Feeling good prevails”
But at Kelderman, contentment reigns supreme. “I can live with this sixth place. It feels good. I haven’t raced since Paris-Nice, so I’m very happy with my current form. It gives a lot of confidence for the next stages.”
