Visma | LaB saw Campenaerts crash and Zingle finish sixth in the Basque Country: "Sometimes you know what to do…"

The breakaway riders managed to stay ahead for a long time on the open roads of the Basque Country, only getting caught by the charging peloton with just two kilometers to go. The approach to the finale was extremely tense, with many teams fighting for position up front to support their sprinters.

That tension eventually led to a crash, in which Campenaerts appeared to be the biggest victim. Footage showed the Belgian standing on the side of the road, visibly in pain. On the team’s website, Visma | Lease a Bike has since provided an update on his injuries. “Campenaerts reached the finish under his own power but was heavily scraped up.” So, while it seems Campenaerts' adventure in the Basque Country isn’t over yet, more clarity is expected on Wednesday.

In the streets of Lodoso, the stage ended in a bunch sprint. Behind winner Caleb Ewan, Zingle never came close to contending for the win. The sprinter from Mulhouse, France, was clearly not satisfied with his sixth-place finish. “I’m a bit disappointed. We had higher expectations for this finale. I was aiming for the win, and of course, a podium spot would have been great too.”

Where things went wrong for Zingle and the Dutch team on Wednesday afternoon is no secret. “Positioning was the issue today. Sometimes you know exactly what you need to do, but in a split second, you make the wrong decision. It was a great opportunity, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to seize it.”

Even though Tuesday was, on paper, the only real opportunity for the sprinters, Zingle remains optimistic about the rest of the week in the Basque Country. “There are still chances to come this week. If our legs are good, the results will follow. That’s what we’re going for as a team.”