Felix Gall says stronger training and renewed confidence powered his Giro d'Italia podium finish

Felix Gall of Decathlon CMA CGM finished the Giro d’Italia on Sunday as runner-up, and the Austrian is naturally delighted with that. “I am very happy and proud of myself and the whole team. The way we raced as a team was impressive. During the race we got stronger and gained more confidence.”

“When we made the plan in November to ride the Giro, that immediately gave us a lot of motivation to aim for the podium,” Gall said. “That it worked out is fantastic. I trained more and harder than ever, and maybe I finally also had the confidence to do that and to push that limit. That paid off, but we also had no bad luck.”

“In the past I was always cautious with my intensity,” he explained further to CyclingProNet. “I would reach top form, but then lose it again as well. The endurance I have now means I can stay at that level. That is how it feels, at least.”

“I did not have a bad day either, although the time trial was a challenge. On a day like that you have to do your best, and in the end continuity is what a Grand Tour is all about,” Gall knows, and he also thanked his team extensively.

“We rode impressively and it was nice to see how everyone contributed to that. Even in the mountain stages I still had a few guys with me. When things are going well, it is easier to have a good atmosphere. But that was there from the start,” said the teammate of Oliver Naesen.

What now? “I have taken a physical step forward and I hope I can improve my time trialling a bit more. That could make a difference in the future. My level uphill is good, although compared with Jonas there is still some way to go. But first I want to recover again and not think about races for the next few weeks,” said Gall, who is targeting the Vuelta later in the year.