It might not have been the terrain where you normally would expect Matthieu Sprick, but yet the Frenchman was to be seen at the front in the Pyrenees during Wednesday’s 16th stage of the Tour de France. As part of a large breakaway, Sprick was out of reach of the peloton for a long time, although it wasn’t long enough. Eventually Sprick finished 52nd, at 15 ’54” from winner Thomas Voeckler.
Team manager Guiberteau was satisfied with the efforts of Sprick in the ‘queen stage of the Pyrenees’. “Matthieu has done very well. Of course he had hoped to stay with the leaders a little bit longer. But that’s not realistic. We can’t expect anything more from him in this kind of terrain. He has done very well.”
Before the stage Guiberteau told his riders that they should try something if they felt good. “It’s the third week, the peloton is tired, so if you as a rider got some energy left, you should go for it. Also because the general classification riders only look at each other. In a stage like today’s you have a real chance to surprise. Tomorrow we will take on the same plan and try to be in the breakaway again.”
On Thursday the riders undertake a 143.5 kilometers long stage from Bagneres-de-Luchon to Peyragudes. They will have to survive mountains of the first, second, third and horse category. The finish is on the Col de Peyresourde, a mountain of the first category.
