TENTH PLACE

This morning I awoke to find the ground covered in a layer of snow. This didn`t signalize an ideal day to ride the bike. Fortunately the race organizer decided to shift the start by 50km along the stage route. Therefore we missed the two first climbs of the stage. The sun came out along the day and the streets became rideable again. The final climb of today`s stage had been scheduled four kilometers before the finish and as I had imagined there was a scrap for the first positions. I managed to place myself rather in front but not among the first. After Martin`s attack we crossed the summit lined up but then a gap opened up and I was cut. Consequently, I had to settle for competing in the sprint of the peloton. I gained once more a tenth place. Perhaps I should have tried to answer the attack if I had been better placed but being 12th I really was behind the first. It was just about a moment: behind we were looking at each other waiting for someone to close the gap while the riders in front collaborated well and departed.

From tomorrow on the race will be more difficult and therefore the climbers and general classification riders will show up.