ProTeam Harry Sweeny: “A fifth place is pretty disappointing.”

After a nail-biting final of La Vuelta stage seven, in which a five-rider breakaway eventually battled for the stage win, Lotto Soudal rider Harry Sweeny had to settle for fifth place in Cistierna. “A fifth place is pretty disappointing, but already soon in the race, I felt that I didn’t have the best legs.”

Stage seven of La Vuelta a España between Camargo and Cistierna only included one official climb with the summit at 64 kilometres from the finish, but it was one of over twenty kilometres in length. Both attackers and sprinters saw a chance for stage success and this was also noticeable in how the race unfolded. Despite a strong pace set by several sprint teams, five remaining escapees – amongst them Lotto Soudal rider Harry Sweeny – still had three minutes advantage left as they crested the Puerto de San Glorio. In the undulating final towards Cistierna, a big battle between bunch and breakaway took place, which was eventually won by the break. The five up front would sprint for victory and it was the Spaniard Herrada who took the win, Sweeny had to settle for fifth place.

Harry Sweeny: “I didn’t feel great and I even doubted if I could survive the long climb. That is why I did a lot of turns on the front: that way I could ride my own pace. Fortunately, I could hang on and afterwards, it was a big battle between us and the peloton. But we kept on working together really well, until the final kilometre or so when it became clear that the stage winner would be at the front.”

“I started the sprint in a good position but pretty soon, I realised that I didn’t have the best of legs. I did everything I could today, but it still remains a big disappointment. With this type of finish and the good position I started the sprint in, a lot more could have been possible on a good day. But it is what it is. We keep on aiming for that stage victory with the whole team”, concludes the young Australian.

Image: Photo News.