TDF post race: Derek Gee star

 


Despite Derek Gee's third place overall at the Criterium du Dauphiné, his warm up for the Tour, he started the race hunting for stage wins. After finding himself inside the top-ten after stage 9, the goal shifted for the breakaway artist for a top-ten finish. Gee was deternined and tenacious in the Alps, where he moved up to eighth on GC after stage 19, before dropping to ninth the following stage 20. It all came down to the hilly time trial from Monaco to Nice where he clocked the sixth-fastest time but wasn't able to surpass Matteo Jorgenson.

"It's overwhelming. I've been so nervous in the last few days, being in this position and trying not to blow it, so there is an overwhelming sense of relief to come away with a top-ten. It's pretty special feeling. We had such a good group of riders here and on the road, they have been fantastic. All the staff, the directors, everyone, have just been so incredible so I am glad I was able to finish it off.

I had no idea how my legs were going to be and it's been that way the last few days with a question mark around how my legs would be this deep into a race. I knew I was having a good climb and then on the descent once I heard the time gaps to the top-ten, I knew I had to not mess it up and not crash so I was a bit tentative on the descent."
-Derek Gee. An impressive sixth in stage 21 time trial and ninth overall in his maiden Tour de France. He becomes the third Canadian (Steve Bauer 4th 1988, Ryder Hesjedal 5th 2010) to finish in the top-ten of the Tour. 

"As an overall team effort, it was fabulous. Then Derek came through and almost won a stage on the gravel and then we were in the GC game so that gave us a new direction with confirmation of what he can do. We lost a couple of guys, Guillaume and Jake, but we still stood strong and were able to finish if off here in Nice so I am very proud."
-Steve Bauer. Director Sportif

"I'm proud of the team's performance at this year's Tour. The boys rode for each other at the front of the peloton. We had 13 top-ten finishes, meaning we were in the hunt in more than half of the stages. With four podiums and Derek Gee finishing in the top-ten on GC, I would say that this was our best Tour ever, even if we didn't manage to win a stage."
-Sylvan Adams. IPT owner



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