Cycling: If you've always wondered how the pro cyclists actually get to the hotel after the race, Nico Denz (AG2R La Mondiale) gave you an answer today. In the Race diary on his website he reports that he rode his bike to the hotel after the stage. Not only did he have to cover another 52 kilometers on the bike, no, his navigation system even directed him onto the autobahn.
"Don't blindly follow the GPS"
On the penultimate section of the Tour Down Under, Willunga Hill has stood in the way for years. Even today, the professionals on the fifth stage drive up the hill twice. In total, 151 kilometers had to be covered - and that after it had been brutally hot for the last two days. Today the weather was much more pleasant, but the professional cyclists were still challenged. Nevertheless, Nico Denz from Team AG5R La Mondiale decided to cycle to the team hotel after the race. So: Navi on and let's go! The likeable 2-year-old describes what happened next in his race diary on his website.
“Since my teammates made no move to accompany me, I set off on my own and followed my GPS without hesitation. Only that showed the quickest route and sent me onto the Autobahn. Once there, of course, there was nothing to turn around, so I continued to a makeshift exit where I could safely get onto the bike path. Moral of the story is that you shouldn't just blindly follow the navigation system, but should also read signs..."
"I feel really good again"
Apart from the funny story after the race, Nico Denz also had something to tell about the stage itself. Before the final climb, he did important work for his teammates. Captain Pierre Latour finished in the second group after the day's winner and ended up on #12.
“After two really hot days, the temperatures were a little more normal today. With about 35° it was still relatively hot. However, one could feel directly that the legs were much more ready to do their work than on the days before. My task today was to get the team optimally into the first passage of Willunga Hill. So I drove from the front in the long headwind straight and did my job. After that I pulled out and finished my race in a gruppetto. Today, for the first time on this tour, I felt really good again. This is definitely due to the heat, which I still just can't develop a friendly relationship with. After the race I showed my motivated side and drove the 52 km back to the hotel.”
The rest is history...
Nico Denz.de – @tourdownunder #5 https://t.co/QO1OtHJzq8
— Nico Denz (@NicoDenz) 20 January 2018