The ‘Scorpio of Semmerzake’ did what drivers always do in the afternoon during a rest day: “I just had a deep sleep for an hour. I’m still a little dizzy. I could use a coffee now,” the stage winner from Naples opened.
Isn’t Tuesday afternoon’s stage to Jesi through the Marches an invitation to attack?
“In the drive around Naples on Saturday it was easier to set up a long flight. It is really completely flat for a very long time, while we quickly got some climbs on Saturday. Not that such a long flat run-up is easy to control, but a lot of teams will want to force a sprint or make it a tough final. I think we have more chances in Jesi with Caleb Ewan.”
Do you have another stage in mind? Two stage wins in one and the same Grand Tour, is that the next challenge?
“My Giro is already a great success for me. Of course I will not pass up a second chance, but I also have teammates who have made certain stages a goal. The next few days I drive completely in function of Caleb. After that I will see in the mountain stages how my legs are doing. Still, I think the easiest stage I could win was actually Saturday’s in Naples. Everything else is either too hard or too flat, but I’m not afraid to try.”
Win at 35, while a boy even four years older played for the top six with Pozzovivo on Sunday afternoon. You give your contemporaries hope.
“It all started with Cavendish on opening day. At Blockhaus it was not only Pozzovivo, but also Nibali and Valverde finished within the top ten. It’s like we’re experiencing a revival of the old guys. The young guys were super strong last year. In this Giro, most day winners are surprised that they can still win. See Hindley Sunday, although younger, but he also had a year of setbacks. Cycling has returned to normal standards.”
Is it true that you will be forced to skip the Tour?
“It’s not my decision whether I do the Tour or not. I could decide until the Giro myself, but I rode three to four extra races because there was no other choice. We had too many sick and injured. Otherwise, the team would not even have had enough riders to start somewhere. Some races we only raced with five.”
“That’s why I also ride the Tour of Switzerland. At that time, the Critérium du Dauphiné is also still busy and some are at altitude or elsewhere at a training camp to prepare for the Tour. There is no other option for me. If you finish the Giro and then Switzerland, I don’t think it’s really possible to add the Tour to that. Already in March I booked my training camp in Livigno from July. I’d love to go to the Tour, but I’m pretty sure they won’t select me this year.”
Are you now getting higher power values compared to last season?
“I saw a tweet comparing all the rides I won in Grand Tours in terms of power. It looks like the average force I’m pedaling has stayed the same. Both in Saint-Étienne in the Tour and when I won in Gijon in the Vuelta. I don’t kick harder now. Maybe the peloton is slowing down a bit. You can’t keep going at it as hard as it has been for the past few months. You can do that in small stage races and in one day races, but every day in a big lap? No, you can’t. In a Grand Tour, even GC riders have to slow down a bit, or else you risk a bad day and if that happens on the Blockhaus, you’ll be there. The peloton is moving a little bit slower. Not too much, because it is still very difficult to win such a stage.”
You were very emotional after your win. This was the real Thomas De Gendt.
“It helped me. Normally I keep my feelings to myself. Not now. I didn’t care that people saw that I was starting to cry purely from the emotions. Five years ago I would have tucked my face away, or held back. Fortunately, now it’s okay to show your emotions. When you’re happy or empty or if you don’t feel well. I also had it written in my book. It was a side of me that no one knew. People now know that even if you look successful and happy, that’s not always the case.”
You like a good beer. Have you packed one in your suitcase for days like Saturday in Naples?
“No. I’ll have to wait until I’m back in Semmerzake. Then it is time for a Saint Bernard.”
