Even two-time individual time trial world champion Chloé Dygert (Canyon-SRAM) was not strong enough to deny Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) victory in the short 6.3 km battle for the clock in Rotterdam on stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes.
After a turbulent season marred by crashes, injuries and illness, Dygert surprisingly wore the rainbow stripes for the first time this season during the seven-and-a-half-minute race. She set the same fastest time at the intermediate control behind the Erasmusbrug bridge before losing five seconds to Vollering on the 2.4km run to the finish line and the stage.
While Dygert said she “just didn’t have a good day,” she attributed her strength to the Dutch GC star after Vollering managed an average speed of 50.95 km/h on the second stage of a hectic double day of racing.
“It’s definitely a shame not to be at the top, but I’m just grateful to be here. It’s my first tour and I’m just very blessed. This is God’s plan and I just trust it,” Dygert told reporters, including Cycling news in the Canyon-SRAM team bus while she warmed up.
“It was very fast and very bumpy. Normally I would say a short course is right for me, but I just didn’t have a good day today, so that’s what it is.
“They (SD Worx) just had a better day. She’s just very strong, so big kudos to Demi (Vollering).”
After digesting the disappointment of not winning the Tour’s only time trial stage, Dygert arrived at the team bus, shared a long hug and talked things over with Canyon-SRAM team boss Ronny Lauke before quickly turning her attention to the rest of the Tour and her bigger, upcoming goal: the Individual Time Trial World Championships in Zurich on September 22.
“Ronny has so much experience in this sport and he is an important reason why I chose Canyon-SRAM,” said Dygert.
“Sometimes a rider just needs to shut up and listen. I am very grateful for the wise words Ronny had to say. I will take them to heart, live with them, move on and finish the Tour, moving towards the main goals of the season.
“I’m here to do my best and prepare for the World Championships. I’m looking forward to the rest of the week and trying to get as fit as possible.”
Dygert also confirmed that the remaining five stages will now be about helping the German team’s overall hopes, Kasia Niewiadoma and Neve Bradbury, who are 30 and 51 seconds behind Vollering’s leader respectively after the time trial and still have some work to do.
“We take it day by day, but Kasia and Neve are definitely our target riders this week, so we will do everything we can to get them to the finish line first,” she said, echoing Niewiadoma’s sentiments expressed earlier in the week that Canyon does not want to settle for the podium, as they have done in the last two editions, but for the Maillot Jaune.
