This is how Sjoerd Bax suddenly became the surprise in the Giro time trial: "That's it"

The Giro d’Italia was the very first Grand Tour for Sjoerd Bax, and the fact that the Dutch rider immediately found himself in the hot seat made for a story in itself. Starting early in the time trial, the Pinarello-Q36.5 rider surprised many competitors with an impressive performance. Ultimately, Bax, who shared his thoughts immediately after his ride, finished fourth.

"I’m pretty happy. I’m also glad it’s over because it’s a lot of suffering," the Dutchman said with a smile in his interview with CyclingPro. Bax had just posted a time of 47 minutes and 57 seconds, earning him a spot in the hot seat. "I didn’t know I’d be there even for a short time, so it was a great experience."

It was still early in the time trial, so predicting where Bax would end up was impossible. "I don’t know where I’ll ultimately finish. I’m still hoping for a top ten, though that will be tight. Seeing that I finished ahead of Walscheid, who is very strong, I think that’s a good sign." That sign proved accurate, as only Rémi Cavagna and Thymen Arensman beat his time.

So Bax became the big surprise in fourth place. How did he achieve it? "I always try to pace more by feel. You can never really know on power. It’s my first Grand Tour, and after nine days of racing, it’s always different. I started fairly hard and then had a bit of tailwind on the way back. You find a rhythm with your breathing."

He then made a final push uphill. "At the last intermediate point, there was a small climb, so that was kind of my finish. After that, it was just about being aero, that’s it," Bax said matter-of-factly. "In your head, you look point by point. At one moment there are still 20 kilometers left, and you think: it’s still a long way."

"Then at some point, only 10 kilometers remain. You’re basically counting down the kilometers. If you start too gently, you can’t make it up later, so it’s better to go all in, I’d say," the Dutchman concluded. A perfectly executed strategy, indeed.