Felix Gall and his AG2R team will be competing against the big aces for the last time this season at the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday. The East Tyrolean takes on the role of noble helper in the “Race of Falling Leaves” over 238 kilometers from Como to Bergamo. After the exertions of the last few months, he was not in the necessary condition to take on Tadej Pogacar and Co., said Gall before the Italian classic with around 4,000 meters of altitude.
07.10.2023 08.42
Online since today, 8:42 a.m
“I have to be honest, I’m really tired. I’ve already trained well, but the tour and the races before it were brutally strenuous. The motivation is there and the race is of course interesting for me as a climber, but I will be more likely to have helper duties and support the team. My own ambitions are not that big, but I want to end the year smartly,” said Gall.
One reason for his exhaustion is that he didn’t take any real time off after the Tour de France, which was sensational with his victory on the queen stage and eighth place in the final. “The cut was missing, I should have flown somewhere on vacation. It was a new situation for me, even with all the surrounding things. For the future, I know that you have to create more space for yourself to really recover,” explained the 25-year-old.
GEPA/Panoramic/Nico Vereecken Too little break after the Tour de France is now noticeable for Gall
Vacation after the athletes’ gala
He wants to make up for his vacation due as quickly as possible. Before that, there could be another reason to celebrate in Vienna next week. Gall is among the top three in the election for Austria’s athlete of the year. “I let it come to me. If that’s the case, that would be something special, no question, I never expected that,” said Gall when asked about the possible award on Thursday.
His race plans for the coming season are still open and will be finalized at a team meeting at the beginning of December. Due to his successes, his status in the team structure has now changed. “Nothing has really changed in terms of dealings. But of course there are already hints that more will be built on me in the future and that I will have a greater say.”
