After all, he was the only rider who had dared to respond to Huang Chong on the steep climb.
But when asked if he regretted responding to Huang Chong, Van Eetvelt was incredibly decisive in admitting it, stating frankly:
"Yes, I regret it immensely now.
In a moment of impulse, I chose to go hard and follow Huang Chong on the climb, and as a result, I completely blew up.
In the end, not only did I lose a ton of time, but I also made myself look exceptionally stupid.
I have to admit, I was the most reckless rider today in terms of tactical choices.
I both underestimated my opponent's strength and completely overestimated my own legs!"
As soon as Van Eetvelt's interview was released, it almost instantly ignited heated discussions among cycling fans worldwide.
But people are very forgiving of a rider so candid and willing to confront his own shortcomings, and the response was overwhelmingly one of encouragement.
