The legs are good, the form is right too – but I still need a little something to come mentally back into the form I need to go all out in these top-class sprints. After the physically and mentally exhausting Tour and the long preparations for it, that can happen. Other riders with the same program are the same. That is one of the reasons you haven’t seen me in the sprints the last few days at the BinckBank Tour. We also sort of lost each other on the first stage. But there are still a few stages to come, where I can be in the mix.

Many, many thanks to everyone who participated in the auction for one of my green jerseys from the Tour. The PSP Gesellschaft can look forward to an unbelievable 4900 Euros. I am totally overwhelmed. Thanks! Yours, Marcel.

Photos: roth-foto.de