1st June – Stage 5: Saint-Joseph-de-Rivière – La Mure
Heading into the big GC and climbing day, Team Picnic PostNL’s Development program was well positioned with multiple cards to play. From the start it was a hard and aggressive stage with lots of attacks, with Vincent Bodet covering the move which went clear on the opening climb of the day – leading the virtual GC at that point.
Bodet’s group would be brought back and the attacks started all over again with the peloton reducing to around 25 riders with over 80 kilometres still to race. It was then Jacob Bush who forged clear in a break that built up a two minute advantage, also taking over the virtual race lead at one point. However, a committed chase from the peloton saw the gap shut down on the toughest climb of the day; where things fully exploded.
Matteo Vanhuffel showed brilliant legs to bridge to three riders out front, but the group swelled on the descent and rolling terrain ahead of the last climb, and one rider went clear. The rest of the group lent on Vanhuffel, who himself was virtually in the lead of GC, to try and close it down. Ultimately on the last climb of the day his earlier efforts meant Vanhuffel just had to let go of the very front riders. Digging deep and pushing all the way to the finish, he crossed the line in seventh place on the day; and with that took a well-earned third on GC after a strong performance from the whole Development program.
Vanhuffel reflected: “We were really committed to the plan today and everyone did their task perfectly, being in and reacting on every dangerous move. On the long steep “key” climb I launched an attack after we caught Jacob back who was in a small break with other GC guys. I got away alone from the other GC guys and bridged to the early break. However they did not really ride with me so I kept going until I realised It was hopeless and then I waited for the GC group chasing me. On the final climb I chose to take the front and rode my own pace because I knew I was not as explosive as the guys with me, and gave my everything until the finish to limit my time loss.”
Team Picnic PostNL coach Joey Van Rhee added: “I think we did a really good ride today. I think step by step we made nice progression this whole week and today we showed that. Every time we had one of the guys who was close in GC in the breaks which meant we never had to ride behind and were always virtual leader. Towards the final Jacob was in a strong move but he had to drop on the second last climb. At that moment Matteo then attacked to a nice break but they didn’t want to ride with him, and he spent a bit too much energy there trying to keep it going. On the last climb we had two guys who we had to try and follow for the GC battle but in the end Matteo just had to let go. He fought to the finish for third in the end overall. I think we did a really strong week here and made steps day-by-day, it was a proper team effort today, and we can be really pleased with the third place on GC.”
