Wednesday July 6 was an emotional afternoon for Simon Clarke, the experienced cyclist who won the fifth stage of the 2022 Tour de France. However, this triumph meant everything to the 35-year -old Australian athlete, since a few months ago he was able to end his professional career when he found himself without a team after the disappearance in 2021 of the one he was part of until last season, the Qhubeka NextHash.
However, his luck changed in January, when he received a call from his current team, Israel – Premier Tech, who offered him a one-year contract. " He is an experienced and talented rider, he had an impressive run of results at the start of 2021, with eighth place at Strade Bianche. Not only will he play a big part in helping our team leaders win, he will also have the opportunity to seek personal results," commented Kjell Carlström, general manager of Israel, to explain the reasons for his hiring.
And it seems that Carlström was not wrong. His cyclist was the first to complete the 157-kilometre race with 11 cobblestone sections, corresponding to the Lille – Wallers-Arenberg route, starring in a movie finale. He sprinted ahead of Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché), Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies) and Neilson Powless (EF Education).
At the end of the race, a heartbroken Clarke could no longer contain his emotions and burst into tears, as seen in the video below. "It was a difficult winter, but I didn't give up, I kept hope, I kept working. Now I can only thank the Israel team for the confidence they have given me. Winning here is special and allows me to return that confidence," he confessed.
"I knew that we could maintain the lead. In this type of stage, like the Roubaix, even 10 seconds is a lot. In the end I tried to keep my cool. When Powless attacked I told myself that it was the good wheel. Luckily Boasson Hagen went for it. I tried to wait until the last moment to jump. I threw my bike for 50 meters, the longest sprint of my career. I had leg cramps, I couldn't take it. I have to see the replay because I still don't believe it ", stressed the winner of two stages of La Vuelta a España.
"I have to see the stage again. I hope that the people who are watching me from Australia have enjoyed it. I came to Europe with 16 years and a dream. I will be 36 on the second day of rest. 20 years later, the dream has come true", added Simon, one of the oldest riders in the French competition. And it is that he really wants to compete well after seeing himself without a team in 2021. “ You must make the most of every opportunity, never leave a stone unturned and compete in each race as if it were the last, because it really could be. Therefore, I am more motivated after having a cooling-off period," he revealed when he signed for Israel.
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