Lotto-Belisol's Tony Gallopin unsurprised by Tour de France successes

Omnisports Pulse

July 16, 2014 5:57 AM

After triumphing on stage 11 of the Tour de France, Tony Gallopin said his success at this year's race has not come as a surprise.

The Frenchman, riding for Lotto-Belisol, was the victor on Wednesday's 187.5-kilometre route from Besancon to Oyonnax, fending off late attacks from the likes of points leader Peter Sagan (Cannondale), Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Michael Rogers (Tinkoff-Saxo).

Gallopin's victory comes just two days after he surrendered the yellow jersey for the general classification to Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).

His success at the world's greatest cycling race has surprised many, but not the man himself.

"It could sound pretentious but I'm not surprised by my performances at the Tour de France," he said. "I've always had the confidence of my relatives and my team.

"Before the Tour, [team manager] Marc Sergeant had been clear: I was here to help but also to look for a stage win. It wasn't easy. The level is high but I'm a consistent rider.

"I'm often in the shadow of the big names but I was expecting to come out of it. It's a dream come true."

Gallopin's joy was a marked contrast to the despair he felt on Monday, when the 26-year-old was reduced to tears after losing the yellow jersey to Nibali.

Reflecting on the emotions of claiming a stage he was not expecting to win, he added: "When the three guys came across [Sagan, Kwiatkowski and Rogers], I knew I had no chance to beat them in a sprint, so I had to go again.

"To win a stage and to take the yellow jersey deliver different feelings. The Maillot Jaune, I was thinking about for five [days] before I got it. I had mentalised it.

"But today, until one hundred metres to go, I didn't believe I could win, so the emotion is stronger than for the yellow jersey."

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