Kangert after Giro: Have not felt this fresh in years, hopeful for Olympics

Estonian cyclists Tanel Kangert and Rein Taaramäe finished the Giro d'Italia on Sunday with a 21st-place and 51st-place finish, respectively. Kangert said his current form gives hope for the upcoming Olympics in July and August.
Kangert finished 68th in the final stage of the first Grand Tour of the season, but he had already done his job for the team as team leading cyclist Simon Yates finished third after Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal and Italian Damiano Caruso.
"There is nothing special to point to for my result, but my role was to be in the position of team-mate. Everything went well in that sense, I was able to support our leader," Kangert told ERR after the final stage.
"Our goal from the start was to make the podium and we can be happy with that. I will not point to my results, because I only had one thought each day: bring our leader to the finish line as fast as possible," the cyclist added.
Kangert added that his form is good and the tour has given him hope for the upcoming Olympics Games in Tokyo. "I have not felt this fresh after finishing a tour in years. That gives me hope, perhaps I feel even better at the Olympics. I certainly did not tire myself out in May and I have large goals for the next races," the Estonian noted.
The second Estonian to take place in this year's Giro d'Italia, Rein Taaramäe, said he does not feel too strong either way about his performance. "Half the Giro was pretty good, I was even able to go for results in the first stages and I did pretty well for half of Giro, but I fell apart in the end, there was nothing left to do in the last week," Taaramäe said.
"If I had to rate myself, it was normal, because the last year and a half have been difficult for me and I was certainly in the best shape I have been in that time," the cyclist noted.
Taaramäe's next challenge will be the Tour of Spain (Vuelta a España) in August. Kangert will represent Estonia in the Tokyo Summer Olympics on July 24-August 9. Peeter Pruus will also participate in the Olympics.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste