Florian Vermeersch: "I got goose bumps all along"

October 3 ^rd 2021 - 19:01

"I feel both disappointment and pride. For the moment, disappointment has the speaking overhand, but I know I can be proud of my performance. In the coming days, the feeling will get better and the deception will go away. Our goal was to be in the breakaway, at least if it was a big breakaway. We achieved that goal early in the race with three guys. There was a battle in front of the group to get a good position in the first sectors. I managed myself well but suddenly two guys crashed. From that moment, I said to the others: keep going, let’s don’t kill ourselves, maybe a group will come, and that happened. When Moscon went hard, I got dropped, but I was able to recover a bit. Colbrelli’s group came back, then I was over my bad moment and I felt good again. I found myself with van der Poel and Colbrelli at Carrefour de l’Arbre. I said myself: ok I’m riding for victory. I was with two guys who already won bunch sprints, so I had to attack. I did it two times. They came back. It came down to a sprint. I started at the right moment, but I got cramps everywhere and Colbrelli could jump over. I’m standing behind my choices I have no regrets. What I did, I’d do it again if I had the chance. The race definitely suits me but I never thought I’d be 2nd at my first Paris-Roubaix. I’m made for the classics, I’m kind of a heavy guy. The entrance to the velodrome was pure adrenaline, but actually I had it for the whole race. I was almost always in the front and first to hit the sectors. Lots of Belgian fans were screaming my name, I got goose bumps all along.”