De Gendt did the 4th fastest time on the Stelvio that year. Which was pretty slow as a 25 man group went only 15s slower in 2017.
Altogether the picture is pretty clear that De Gendt is the sort of rider who trived in highly attritional races when the purer climbers are just gassed, and in that situation, saving energy does not directly lead to doing a much faster climb later.
I have not gone back to check the pacing of the actual climb and if the GC group started it way too slow, but alas.
In hindsight, we should have anointed him the future 7 times TdF champion, for he put 46 minutes into Geraint "Future TdF winner" Thomas that day
Altogether the picture is pretty clear that De Gendt is the sort of rider who trived in highly attritional races when the purer climbers are just gassed, and in that situation, saving energy does not directly lead to doing a much faster climb later.
I have not gone back to check the pacing of the actual climb and if the GC group started it way too slow, but alas.
In hindsight, we should have anointed him the future 7 times TdF champion, for he put 46 minutes into Geraint "Future TdF winner" Thomas that day