According to Artz, he had not felt in top form in recent days, but that was not reflected in his performance. In the 19-kilometre time trial of the Volta ao Algarve, starting and finishing in Vilamoura, he set a particularly strong time. At the finish, he briefly held the fourth provisional time, followed by fifth and sixth as more riders came in. It was only in the final half hour of the race that his time was surpassed by the GC contenders. “This gives perspective,” he reflected. “I didn’t ride my highest wattages. In fact, I haven’t yet done any specific time trial training this season. I’m now building towards the spring, towards the classics. But I paced it well and took good lines. As a rider you quickly look at all the riders ahead of you in the stage results, but I also have to look at who finishes behind me (Artz, among others, finished ahead of Lennard Kämna, ed.). And then I’m satisfied.”
After the classics, Artz wants to focus more on time trialling again. “I simply enjoy it. I really want to make the Dutch National Time Trial Championships a key goal. And I also want to perform well in the Baloise Belgium Tour the week before. I was strong there last year too, and I want to repeat that.”
Picture: PhotoNews
