Imanol Erviti: “What a week! I'm super happy. Right after crossing the finish line, the taste was sort of bittersweet since I couldn't follow the wheels of the group I was in and couldn't improve that 9th - I was so much tired. But later on, you reflect on what you did and you leave the Velodrome with a big smile. It's always difficult to get into the break on a Monument, like I did in Flanders, but entering two of them... it's sort of a master trick. And I couldn't have done it without a big helping hand from my team-mates. They kept the break close so I could try and bridge, which I did.
"It wasn't a comfortable breakaway by any means. We had to ride fast all the time, the pace was high from very early into the race behind after the crash and Boonen's attack - they were always close to us, we never had a moment to breathe, and once we got caught, every single cobbled section was a small torture.
"I took my turns into the breaks because I wanted to be honest with my group, and I was also interested on that move to stick and go smoothly, rather than running by one attack after another. Following wheels instead of cooperating would have made me suffer more and reach shorter than I could. I wasn't probably the man who pushed the strongest, but I didn't want to break the 'rules'. You've got to ride with everything you've got. Plus, I was so excited, because things had gone well in Flanders - I thought it was worth to take the effort. I was over my limit at the finish, I couldn't seek for a better place in the Velodrome, but I'm content with what I did because I think I acted correctly. This is how cycling works!
"I was keeping the wheel of my group into the section prior to the Carrefour de l'Arbre, but to be honest, I was starting to struggle - the ones in front of me were a bit stronger. I'm happy that Hayman won: Orica rode well, with two men into the early break, Mat into the escape so early… he's a deserved winner of this race.
"Should I find these legs again, I think I can do well on the cobblestones. But it's also true that it depends on following the right moves or rather entering the early breaks, which keep you more calm than into a big peloton. Weather conditions also played in my favor: allergies made me leave sad and without energy in previous years, because I couldn't take the efforts I wanted, with all the dust, the difficulties inherent to such races... Fortunately, it rained before both Flanders and Roubaix, air was cleaner and I could be up there with the top guys. All in all, I'm really happy!"
Lovely to read such words by Erviti, remarkable week by him..
udoi wrote:
It 'true that Tom will continue to run for another season?
He said he'll announce his decision next week, he didn't want to make an emotional decision right after Roubaix.
I'd like to see him do it. The only problem is there's only one race left where he's really top class and that's Roubaix. What's he gonna do the rest of the season?
Of course he can do other things, but going through the entire winter for just one race, would be tough mentally I think.
udoi wrote:
It 'true that Tom will continue to run for another season?
He said he'll announce his decision next week, he didn't want to make an emotional decision right after Roubaix.
I'd like to see him do it. The only problem is there's only one race left where he's really top class and that's Roubaix. What's he gonna do the rest of the season?
Of course he can do other things, but going through the entire winter for just one race, would be tough mentally I think.
If he thinks he has one more season in him then he's earned the right to decide when to retire but watching him yesterday and the performance he put in would be a nice way to go out, it would be a pity to see him come back next year and crash or just not have it to be up the front.
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udoi wrote:
It 'true that Tom will continue to run for another season?
He said he'll announce his decision next week, he didn't want to make an emotional decision right after Roubaix.
I'd like to see him do it. The only problem is there's only one race left where he's really top class and that's Roubaix. What's he gonna do the rest of the season?
Of course he can do other things, but going through the entire winter for just one race, would be tough mentally I think.
If he thinks he has one more season in him then he's earned the right to decide when to retire but watching him yesterday and the performance he put in would be a nice way to go out, it would be a pity to see him come back next year and crash or just not have it to be up the front.
That would be a shame indeed, then again, what would it be if he doesn't crash and has a good preparation to be even better than this year?
It's a shame the motorbike drivers can't handle their bikes, really scary moment for Viviani, lucky he only got trapped could have been so much worse and for the spectators too. But the motorbikes where very close to the riders throughout the race including on the most dangerous cobble sections. The UCI really need to get this under control because I fear another rider will be killed this year.
The motorcycle incident I mean... just plain stupid and unqualified to do this job. Anyone who ever watched Roubaix knows there are crashes in Arenberg and you should be particularly prepared to stop there. What was he thinking completely steaming in from behind.....
Edited by Kirchen_75 on 11-04-2016 19:15
