Michael Valgren wins thanks to a Pokéball: "It's my lucky charm"

Michael Valgren has achieved a career milestone at the age of 34. The Dane has already won the Amstel Gold Race and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, but had never won a stage in a Grand Tour until today. "This was missing from my resume," he said afterward. "I think I deserved this one."

Valgren was part of an elite group in the finale of the seventeenth stage, including Andreas Leknessund, Igor Arrieta, Einer Rubio, Damiano Caruso, and Aleksandr Vlasov, who contested the stage win. With a clever attack in the final kilometer, the Dane took the stage victory.

"I am really happy to be standing here," he continued. "Fortunately, I was finally able to secure a stage win. People say I am very fast, but my max power is actually embarrassing. My trademark is riding tactical finales when I have the legs for it, and I am very good at that."

That became clear, as the finale of the stage to Andalo turned out to be especially tactical. "It was a really strange day, with such a large group. In the finale, we really raced. At one point, I had no food left and was afraid I would suffer a bonk, but luckily that didn’t happen."

Valgren also spoke about his notable victory gesture. At the finish line, he held up a Pokéball. "My son made that for me when I went to the Tour last year with a lot of morale," he concluded. "The Pokéball is in our team colors and is my lucky charm."