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"I would have expected this status quo," Dumoulin told Bagneres-de-Luchon, where he finished 25th in the race of winner Julian Alaphilippe in almost nine minutes, in a group with the top ten ranking
"There is a very difficult day ahead on Wednesday, everyone knows it, and the race of today was not very appropriate to attack, and then it is better keep your powder dry, and, apparently, all other leaders too. "
The arrival of the sixteenth stage was after a descent of ten kilometers. In addition, the three passes of the day were all less than eight kilometers. These elements ensure that the ranking riders participate in the race.
Dumoulin thus retains the third place overall with one minute and fifty seconds on the wearer of the jersey Geraint Thomas and eleven seconds on the number two Chris Froome.
Mad Action
Dumoulin never really considered trying to place an attack on the first two during the race. "It was not the time or the day to make a complete attack," according to the Limburger. "Of course I would have liked to take some time on Froome or on Thomas, but if it's not possible, it's not possible."
"Everyone is hoping for some crazy action, but I have to wait for the right moment, especially with the time trial coming on Saturday, but I still have to get rid of Thomas if I want to win. the Tour, but I can not force that one day as today If I had done that, then I was there myself, or already today. tomorrow, or tomorrow. "
This does not mean that it was a quiet day for Dumoulin. "The lead group left very late, so we took the first full tank of the first kilometer, after which we were twenty kilometers in the peloton, before we continued the race, so it was a difficult stage and long, because we had nearly six hours on the bike. "
The seventeenth stage of Wednesday promises to be a fierce battle between the classification riders. The second Pyrenean race is only 65 kilometers long, but the riders have to cross three heavy passes.
"It will be a very special day," says Dumoulin. "I think there will be fireworks coming in. It's actually three short tries, each of them being a climb."
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