Tom Dumoulin: "Geraint Thomas was the strongest"

Tour de France

Published on Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 20:01

The Dutchman says he feels no frustration at finishing second in the Tour de France. "If I had been told that after the Giro, I would have signed right now", he confided Saturday after winning the time trial.

"Is this second place frustrating?"
No, absolutely not, I am very happy with this second place. And crowning it with a victory today is something special. If I had been told after the Giro that I would finish second in the Tour de France, I would have signed right away. I'm happy for Geraint Thomas, he was amazing during those three weeks. He was in the shape of his life, he made no mistake. Nobody managed to bother him in the mountains, including me. I have enormous respect for him and I congratulate him. On my side, there was no disappointment.
                    

Does this Tour allow you to believe a little more in your chances of winning it one day?
This second place is already a great victory, although of course I would like to win the Tour one day. It shows that I'm progressing but it's too easy to think that, because I'm progressing, I'll win a day. Maybe this will never happen. That's why I really enjoy what's happening now.
                    

Is the time lost in Mûr-de-Bretagne what changed everything in your fight against Geraint Thomas?
This lost time allowed Geraint to play a little more security then. But if I had not wasted time that day, he would have gone for his victory in the mountains, because he was clearly stronger. So no, it did not change anything.
                    

"To say that Geraint won because he had the best team is to forget that he was the strongest"
                                                    

Do you feel that Sky's new runner's victory comes from their budget dominance and that it's impossible to fight against that?
We would like to have more money of course, it sometimes makes life easier. But does it make you happier? I do not know. Of course the budget counts, but you have to know how to use it. On the Giro, it did not necessarily make the difference. Of course, we can not control the race like Sky, but what matters is the legs of the leader. Whatever your team, if you can not attack in the last few kilometers, it's useless. So to say that Geraint won because he had the best team, is to forget that he was the strongest of us all.
                    

After finishing second in the Giro and Tour this year, do you intend to continue to double both races?
I'm only 27, I'm too young to do two Grand Tours a year each season. Next year, I will only make one, I do not want to double in 2019. In addition, there will be a week less between the Giro and the Tour next year, so the one who will tackle this challenge will attempt an impossible mission. For two years, I concentrated on the Giro. This time, the Tour was a bonus. Logic would like me to focus on the Tour next year. "
                    

X.C. at Espelette