Elia Viviani made fans dream today with an incredible sprint, where the victory went to Jasper Philipsen again. However, Viviani was disqualified and that sudden second place transformed into a relegation that pushed him beyond the hundredth position. After the stage, the Venetian reflected on the result, experiencing definitely contrasting emotions. "It's painful, of course. Looking back at this sprint, you can see it" – he said - "But when I saw the finish line getting closer and closer, I just started. I heard Jasper (Philipsen) calling me, so I didn't want to take risks".

Viviani has been racing with Lotto this year, an important opportunity for the Venetian, who wants to continue giving his best. "When someone like Jasper Philipsen is around, you know it'll be tough. I was very happy to be here, but at the same time, I also struggled a bit. When I get close to an important goal like this, it means I'm still a serious athlete at 36, and that I'm competing with the world's best sprinters. This makes me happy, obviously. But on the other hand, it's also disappointing, especially considering the work done by the entire team. As you could see, the team did an extraordinary job for me".

Elia Viviani is 36 years old and knows he can still contribute a lot to cycling. His palmares includes 90 road victories and then successes in the blue jersey on the track. The Venetian was disappointed by the disqualification, not just for losing a good placement, but for not being able to repay his teammates with a victory.

"I hope in the last week to still give my maximum and repay the team. We must be positive and look at what the entire team has done, because I couldn't ask for more. It's still a good boost for everyone's morale. We have once again demonstrated that we can be competitive".