Perfect teammate in De Ronde

Perfect teammate in De Ronde

Styby has finished ninth in the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Our Czech defended an escape of teammate Niki Terpstra, who eventually finished second after Alexander Kristoff. “It was a very strange race.”

“Everything went well until the second time before the Oude Kwaremont. I lost one of my teeth. It wasn’t a nice feeling and that this happens in such a big race is very unfortunate. I can’t say how much this has affected my performance.”

But: it cost some distraction. “I did not know what to do with it. Because it’s a bridge, it was moving, so I took it out. It’s not the best feeling to ride without teeth. But anyway, as for my race, I felt pretty good.”

Just before the third and final passage on the Oude Kwaremont, Terpstra and Kristoff rode away. “At the Kwaremont itself Geraint Thomas set a counterattack and I responded. But I stayed on his wheel, because I had to protect the attack of Terpstra.”

Thomas and Styby were caught again. “After that several riders tried to attack and I responded on every one of them. Because of this, I missed some energy when Greg Van Avermaet and Peter Sagan made a gap on the Paterberg.”

Eventually Kristoff won the race before Terpstra and Van Avermaet. Styby finished ninth. “It was such a strange race. The incident with my teeth and all the bizarre crashes. But De Ronde still is the most beautiful race in the world.”

“Now I look next to Paris-Roubaix, another race I am so passionate about.”




By on 05/04/2015