Trek rider to make Tour de France debut in national kit
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Luxembourg time trial champion Bob Jungels (Trek Factory Racing) cracked the top-10 in the Tour Méditerranéen time trial stage (Image credit: Sirotti)
Luxembourg champion Bob Jungels (Trek)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Luxembourg duo Laurent Didier and Bob Jungels remain at Trek Factory Racing in 2015.(Image credit: Trek Factory Racing)
Luxembourg time trial champion Bob Jungels (Trek Factory Racing) rolls out of the start house(Image credit: ASO/P.Perreve)
Bob Jungels (Trek)(Image credit: Serge Waldbillig / cyclingpix)
Bob Jungels returned to the top step of the podium at the Luxembourg national time trial championship ahead of Jempy Drucker of BMC Racing and defending champion, Trek Factory Racing teammate Laurent Didier. Jungels won the 2013 title and was the fastest rider in the 2012 titles but as an U23 rider was ineligible for the elite category which went to Ben Gastauer.
Jungels overcame flatting on the second circuit of the 24.6 kilometre course as he had Drunker in his sights. "I was confident, not about the victory, but about my performance," he said.
Earlier this year at the Tour of Norway, Fränk Schleck described to Cyclingnews his compatriot as more mature for his age both mentally and physically adding, "He's very strong and he can go far."
Despite losing time due to the mechanical Thursday, he kept his focus, exhibiting the qualities his teammate had praised.
"I had a flat tire in the second lap and I had to change the bike," he explained. "I was just about to catch Drucker who started in front of me by a minute, and then I punctured, so I was not nervous, I knew I was in a good position. I changed the bike and I was about 100 meters behind him at the line so I knew it was probably enough to win it."
The course was similar to previous editions, taking the riders twice around the 12.3 kilometre circuit. "It was a pretty hard course, a lot of false flat climbing and one climb at the end," he added. "It was not easy. I felt really good, pretty recovered from the Tour de Suisse and I am super happy to take the victory again."
At the Tour de Suisse last week, Jungles rode a breakthrough time trial since becoming a professional catapulting him from 14th to sixth place over all. The result was his best at a WorldTour race, giving him confidence heading into July.
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Comparing the three time trials he added, "The course was similar to [the Tour de Suisse time trial], hilly and technical, but not as long. It’s always different in a one-day time trial compared to competing after a week of racing, but I can see that my shape is really good right now and I feel very good on the bike."
The 22-year-old has already logged 45 days of racing this season that kicked off with an overall win at the Etoile de Bessèges. Jungels will now debut next week at the Tour de France in his national colours during Stage 1. The 102nd editions only individual race against the clock.
"This gives me a lot of confidence for the Tour de France and the time trial on the first day," he concluded.
