17 Feb 2018
Poels looking forward to Ruta del Sol TT
Related riders
Wout Poels
Wout Poels says that he is looking forward to the final day time trial at the Ruta del Sol and aiming for overall victory.
The Dutchman goes into the final stage well poised, sitting in third position and 11 seconds back on race leader Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal).
Reflecting on Stage 4, where he relinquished his overall lead on the brutal final cobbled climb, Wout said: “The plan for today was to try and not lose time and to maybe try and win the stage.
"Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that, but the guys rode really well. We wanted to try and keep control of the race and I think we managed it really well, especially when the race broke up on the big climb earlier on.
"We were able to get to the final climb in the position we wanted."
"Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that, but the guys rode really well. We wanted to try and keep control of the race and I think we managed it really well, especially when the race broke up on the big climb earlier on.
"We were able to get to the final climb in the position we wanted."
Wout Poels
Although I lost the jersey I feel good so I’ll go full gas on the final day.
He continued: “Chris punctured on the run in which was really unlucky and I made a little mistake with my positioning in the last corner going into the climb.
"I was a little bit far back and I had to go through the guys who were falling back but then I think I went really well on the second half of the climb.
"I still finished 4th and, although I lost the jersey I feel good so I’ll go full gas on the final day."
"I was a little bit far back and I had to go through the guys who were falling back but then I think I went really well on the second half of the climb.
"I still finished 4th and, although I lost the jersey I feel good so I’ll go full gas on the final day."
Looking ahead to the 14km time trial around Barbate, Wout added: "It’s still open.
"It depends really who goes well on the day. I’m only 11 seconds back and things are still close, so I’m looking forward to it with confidence."
"It depends really who goes well on the day. I’m only 11 seconds back and things are still close, so I’m looking forward to it with confidence."
