Bauke Mollema and Laurens ten Dam came away from Wednesday's Tour de France time trial unhappy. Despite carefully planning a bike change and previewing the parcours, the Belkin Pro Cycling Team riders both lost their positions in the GC. Mollema is now fourth overall and Ten Dam seventh.
Ten Dam was angry with himself for going down in a left hand bend with around 5km to go.
"I felt good on the climbs but I hate the fact that I crashed in the final,” Laurens ten Dam said after the finish. “I was on the limit. I gave everything I had, but the crash cost me thirty seconds. It happened about five or six kilometres before the finish. I took a left turn but couldn't hold my bike and slid over the tarmac. I suffered abrasions on my back."
Mollema admitted to becoming nervous in the bends as the rain began to fall. He collided with the fences inside the final kilometre as he failed to control his bike.
"I hadn't thought the differences would be this big,” Bauke Mollema explained. “When it started to rain, I had problems braking. I became somewhat insecure and so I missed that last corner and I went into the fences. Today wasn't a good day, but I still hope to show myself. I want to fight for the podium and I think I still have a chance."
Mollema now trails race leader Chris Froome (Sky) by 6’23” in 4th place, while ten Dam sits at 8’23” in 7th position as the peloton prepares for the decisive stages in the Alps.
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