Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert (Spain) - Press Release: At the end of a long breakaway, Louis Meintjes rode to a solo victory in the ninth stage of the Tour of Spain, which finished on the particularly steep climb Las Praeres after four other climbs in Asturias.
The South-African rider was accompanied by eight riders in the breakaway, which was formed after a battle of more than one hour. Meintjes was also the best placed rider in the general classification.
« I wanted to attack today, because I didn’t manage to follow the rhythm of the GC favorites the last couple of days. If I was in the right breakaway, it was thanks to my teammates. They controlled all breakaway attempts for more than one hour, after which one acceleration from my side was enough to join the right one. But the task wasn’t easy at all for me, because I was regarded as one of the best climbers in the leading group. My breakaway companions made my life hard by forcing me to work more and by accelerating now and then. I knew I was spending more energy than the others, so I wasn’t sure whether I would be the one with the best legs in the end. The slopes of Les Praeres were so steep that there were no other tactics than climbing in time trial mode to the top. It is so special to win here. This is the first time that I’m on top of the podium in a World Tour race, this is something I really wanted to achieve in my career. It will take some time before I realize what I achieved today! » - Louis Meintjes.
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