Mattia Cattaneo aims for polka dot jersey- "It would be nice to go for the polka dot jersey but great legs and luck are needed"

Mattia Cattaneo’s Tour de France is not going according to plan. Although he did not finish in the top position, the rider still got to visit the podium to receive the most combative prize at the end of stage 8.

Mattia was the first rider to attack. Two riders tagged along. Together they created a gap from the peloton of fewer than three minutes. He was caught before the climb of Côte du Stade Olympique.“I knew after only ten kilometers that it would be almost impossible, if not impossible, to go for the win. With my experience, I knew it was useless to ride flat out all day because, in this situation, it’s the peloton who decides, so I told my last breakaway companion who is a young rider let’s go on a steady pace and speed with 10km to go,” said Cattaneo.

“In such a finale particularly, it was difficult to make it till the end. I’ve learned in the past years, when I was with Androni, that we always have to try. It’s been a great experience today that ends with the combativity price. It would be nice to go for the polka dot jersey but great legs and luck are needed. My main goal remains to win a stage,” concluded Cattaneo. He finished at 112th in today’s stage and holds 34th position in GC ,10 minutes and 18 seconds behind overall leader Tadej Pogacar.