Voeckler not frustrated by missed Giro opportunity

Despite being close, Thomas Voeckler (BBox Bouygues Telecom) could not overtake eventual winner and Italian champion Filippo Pozzato at the finish line of stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia in Porto Recanati. Yet the Frenchman showed no disappointment over having missed out on getting his first Giro d'Italia stage win 10 months after claiming his first stage win at the Tour de France in Perpignan.

One year ago, Voeckler was also defeated by an explosive Philippe Gilbert in the uphill finish in Agnani on the second last stage of the Giro d'Italia.

"I'm not frustrated today," Voeckler told Cyclingnews in Porto Recanati. "In our front group, there were many fast riders, and I could have finished sixth as well. I attacked on the climb before the end, and the strong guys came across.

"I've done my best. I don't pretend to be faster than Pozzato, so it's a logical result at the end."

He didn't lose by much. "For one second maybe, I've believed I was going to win," said the Frenchman. "Had I stayed on Pozzato's wheel for 50 more metres, maybe I could have passed him, but if I had to do the sprint again, I wouldn't change anything."

"I was inspired by him. Once I got off his wheel, I stumbled. If Pozzato had felt I was a threat to him, he would have thrown his bike ahead instead of putting his arms up in the air."

When Voeckler woke up Thursday morning, he was still feeling the effects of the toughness of stage 11 in the rain. "We're doing a really hard Giro," he said of this year's often rainy edition. However, a few hours later, Voeckler found the strength and the motivation to trying to win.