One day, a leader on the Tour de Bretagne. And this on Monday is called Felix Orn-Kristoff, after winning the fourth stage that arrived in Landévant (see classification). “I did not expect to win here, with so many strong guys. It is far beyond my goals and what I had dreamed of”rejoices the Norwegian. And this after a day when the runners crushed the pedals, after breaks, small groups and above all an infernal pace for 80 kilometers. “There was a fall. I was well placed, I just heard it. We were a group of around twenty, we were super strong, all the runners could keep up in the climb. It was sometimes a little more difficult because I had no teammate in the group. I think some were caught in the fall. But it did it anyway”.
In a kind of small peloton, everyone defends their interests. “Lidl Trek and Lotto Kern Haus played the game really well, they printed the rhythm. But there are many who were hiding a little behind. It is part of the sport but it created disagreements. Then when you go in a small group, it is immediately much better. The less runners, the best is the collaboration”. So the little leading peloton finally broke again to try to get rid of the most spun. Felix Orn-Kristoff took the right blow. “I think there was fatigue too. But everyone knows that if we ride well together, we all have to gain in the general classification. It is enough difficult to dig big differences here. So a few seconds can make the difference between the Top 30 and the Top 10”.
“I let him get tired by leaving him a few meters in front”
It was ultimately nine that the victory was played. Before Jackson Medway (Tudor Pro Cycling U23) tried a poker in the last 5 kilometers. “To be honest he surprised me well, I did not expect it. I was thinking of taking the turn very quickly to hold his wheel, but he continued to ride any non -stop after, with the break”. The Australian offers large resistance with only a few meters ahead, and forces the Wanty-Nippo-Reuz and Matys Grisel runner to work. “It was not going to be very well left. It almost turned badly but I was lucky that Grisel cracks a little then that the group too”. He too very strong, the Norwegian then hunted alone, without only a few meters apart, still.
Jackson Medway and Felix Orn-Kristoff finally explained each other. “I was not sure of myself. For two kilometers, I was still far away. But in the descent, I understood that I had the upper hand. I let him get tired by leaving him a few meters in front, and I exceeded him thoroughly. I think it hurt mentally”. And the little brother of Alexander Kristoff went to win in a familiar register. “We are both mentally very strong. We have good resistance to the end, when we are all tired. I may be a little stronger in the long coasts, and maybe he is a little more punchy, but I think we have a lot of common points”. Maybe he will manage to triumph in the final general. “This is the goal, maybe tomorrow will not be as difficult”. Words already heard this week, and yet, the green jersey makes infidelities to its wearer every day.
