The long concrete road stretched so far that its end was nowhere in sight.
Like a dragon winding around the mountains, it twisted and turned endlessly, tormenting every rider struggling up this steep climb.
This steep slope was a massive hurdle for every professional rider, as well as a brutal test of everyone's will to compete.
Lennert Van Eetvelt, the young Lotto team rider, was undoubtedly the one in the leading group most willing to confront the limits head-on.
But anyone bold enough to take on such a challenge had to face two utterly different outcomes.
Either succeed and bask in the passionate, frenzied cheers of the fans, or endure alone the pain and regret brought by failure.
However, after just two hundred meters of desperately chasing back, Van Eetvelt felt his heart rate completely explode.
At the same time, he could clearly feel that his thighs had suddenly become like they were burdened with two enormous sandbags.
Every pedal stroke that followed became painfully difficult, heavy, and strained. He knew he would soon crest the mountain ahead and reach the finish of today's stage.
Yet all he could do now was watch helplessly as the rivals ahead continued widening the gap between them.
Meanwhile, the five riders he had originally dropped by some distance were now rapidly closing in on him.
Then, when the five-man formation of João Almeida, Mas, Gall, Riccitello, and Landa caught him, he quickly tucked in at the back to catch the slipstream, hoping to keep following. But his impulsive response to Huang Chong just now made him realize that no matter what, he could not hold on.
This was the brutal reality of completely blowing up on a steep climb.
Once you pushed beyond your limits, there was no time left to recover!
"God,