Tour of Oman (5th stage), Kévin Vauquelin: "I surprise myself”

On the line

“I have done very few mountain races in the last few years in the amateur ranks, and I didn’t think I would be able to do such things in the professional ranks, even though a climb is somewhat similar to the effort of a time trial since you have to hold watts over a given time. So it’s in my line of work. What could have played a role here are the percentages in relation to my size but I managed to negotiate them well, and to manage my climb in order not to put myself in the red. This second place is different from the one I got yesterday, because it’s a physical summit finish and of course I surprised myself. It’s also more merit because we finish one after the other. I thankl once again all the team fort the job and the support”.

“It was a stressful day, with no respite, starting with a curb cut which we responded to by being in front. We were always one step ahead, we were where we needed to be. Green Mountain is a demanding climb, personally, I might have been a bit carried away by Hirt when he attacked. I paid for it a little bit at the end, and I probably left there the few seconds I was missing to reach the podium. But the satisfaction is to see Kévin doing two and walking very hard. I still have some regrets about yesterday’s stage where I had a hot spell, and there too I am missing some seconds to reach the podium. But that’s sport”.