Marc Soler celebrating his stage victory in Bilbao on the podium. /
Marc Soler did not hide his satisfaction after crossing the finish line in Bilbao. “The truth is I’m very happy. I didn’t expect it after the Laguardia stage. In the end I was able to finish and I am very happy. I wanted to get into the breakaway, I was fighting a lot. He left, I couldn’t get in, but I wanted to be. Matxin told me to try the port, I entered and in the end I was able to finish off».
He explained how he managed the ending. “I wanted to try and I gave my best. There was a break on the climb and from there, flat out until the finish line. There is always a lot of talk about the lack of victories by Spanish cyclists in Grand Tours, but it is not easy. There are many in many teams, but it’s time to work. It’s not that easy, but we can also win.”
End to 121 stages without triumphs
Soler yesterday ended a streak of 121 stages without a win by a cyclist with a Spanish license in a Grand Tour. It had been 668 days, since October 25, 2020, since Ion Izagirre’s triumph in the Vuelta stage in Formigal.
In that edition, Soler also won, at the Lekunberri goal, then in the ranks of Movistar. After spending his entire career with the Navarrese team, the 28-year-old from Barcelona signed this season with UAE, with whom he achieved his first victory yesterday. In the Tour he left. Until yesterday, his best performance of the season was seventh place overall in Itzulia, with third place in the Arrate stage.
The new leader, Rudy Molard (Groupama), said that “it means a lot to me. I’m in red… It’s amazing!”
