Hailed as the next big talent from Luxembourg after the Schleck brothers ever since his professional debut in 2013, Bob Jungels lived up to expectations in his debut Tour de France.
The 22-year-old arrived in Paris, 27th on the general classification on his second Grand Tour appearance as Trek's second best overall performer behind Bauke Mollema in seventh.
"It's really special, I mean it has been a pretty crazy third week for me, it's been a really good one and I am so, so happy to finish this Tour in this good way," Jungels told Cyclingnews after finishing 13th on Alpe d'Huez. "It's been a pleasure to be here with Bauke and do a top ten. We've achieved most of our goals so it's been a successful Tour for us."
Jungels started the Tour with little expectation of turning in a top general classification result, with emphasis placed on learning from the likes of Fabian Cancellara and Mollema.
Jungels' role in the team has oscillated between personal and team obligations, be it riding as a climbing domestique for Mollema or pursuing stage win ambitions via breakaways. Having finished fifth in Gap after a day in the breakaway, Jungels went one better in St-Jean-de-Maurienne two days later.
However, arriving in front of two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador on Alpe d'Huez was the cherry on top of the cake for Jungels as he explained.
"For sure, I did three top tens," he said of whether the Tour was beyond his pre-race expectations, adding, "it's small things but to arrive here in front of Contador… if somebody would have had told me, I wouldn't believed it. It's special but I am super glad to finish off so well."
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Asked whether the race has given him the confidence he can equal the feats of Andy and Fränk Schleck in standing on the final podium in Paris after this year's litmus test, Jungels modestly answered this Tour was nothing special but can take confidence for future appearances.
"That's always the biggest step to go from. Now, I am maybe top 30 or something but lets see in the next years what's coming. I still have a long way to go but I am looking forward to it," he said before heading off the team bus to warm down letting the last 20 stages sink in.
