La Vuelta, stage 20 – Mathias Frank – I was missing a little freshness to finish off in style –

THE PLACE

4th. Once again at the front of the race, and on the quest for another stage victory, Mathias Frank only just missed out on finishing on the podium for the penultimate stage of the Vuelta. “I felt good, but I was probably missing a little bit of freshness to finish it off in style,” the Swiss rider explained.

THE EXPLANATION

“All day I was following lots of attacks,” Mathias Frank continued. “I did not want to be caught out. But all these accumulated efforts cost me a lot of energy. This is probably what prevented me from having the kick I needed for the final couple of kilometers. I am a little disappointed. I was fighting again for the win, and I was pretty close to having another big success.”

THE STRAIGHT TALK

While he was in the breakaway group with Mathias Frank, Clément Chevrier was taken down by a spectator who got in the way. “I was at the front of the group, and a kid crossed the road,” Chevrier explained. “He took me out in his wake. Though I didn’t really have ambitions to go for the victory in this stage, I am still disappointed. I’d be happy to be able to go home without these abrasions all over.”

THE ANALYSIS

Given by Mario Chiesa: “Mathias did a great race. Unfortunately we were hampered by Clément Chevrier’s crash. If that hadn’t happened, we could have adopted a different tactic. But overall, I am satisfied with our guys here. To have two of our riders in the main break on the day before the final promenade into Madrid says a lot about their physical form and about their mental strength.”

Pictures – BettiniPhoto & Sirotti