Antwan Tolhoek has once again showed his climbing talent. In the seventh and final stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné, the 24-year-old Dutch climber attacked with five others in the stage to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc. Tolhoek was caught in the last three kilometres, after which he crossed the finishline in eleventh place. In the overall standings, he also finished in eleventh position about half a minute from the top ten. In the youth classification he finished second.

The way the stage evolved was a copy of yesterday’s. The battle was on from the start and it took until the Cormet de Roselend for the leading group with Tolhoek to be established. Their maximum lead was three minutes.

“I felt very good and on the Roselend I thought: I’m just going to try it. It was all or nothing. Then I would just see what it would lead too. I never thought about the stage victory. However, the top ten in the overall standings and the youth jersey went through my mind. I really hoped for that. I’ve given everything and I’m very happy with my performance and my eleventh place. I think I’ve surprised everyone here every day including myself.”

The team management is also happy with Tolhoek’s development. “What Antwan has shown here is very good. We know that he can do it, but you still have to be able to show it. He really went for it today. It was all or nothing. From the first climb he was in a leading group which had the victory in sight. It could have gotten him the top ten in the standings and the youth jersey. In the end that didn’t work out, but what he’s shown here today and during the rest of the week is really good and it proves what a great talent he is.”