“Stage 5 was the toughest on paper, and it definitely was a defining moment and last chance for the GC shake-up. We had Sven (Erik Bystrøm) in a good GC position, so I really did what I could to help him save energy and put him in a good spot before the final ascent to the finish, which I feel went well so I can be happy.”

“Overall, TDU was a success — every day, we either had someone on the podium or top 10 and 7th on GC, not the win, but it’s a great start.”

“It’s cool to be a part of Intermarché again, it’s always different when you change teams, but the goals are always the same, to win races and enjoy it.”

Words by Robbie Lawless, Photos by Paul Spurling