The pink dream

For the 100th edition, the Giro started in Sicily in 2017, continuing north via Sardinia and the south of the boot. The three stages on Sicily seemed pretty flat, so we wanted to take a shot at stage win and pink jersey in the first stage with Lotto-Soudal. But that turned out differently ... Lukas Pöstlberger of Bora-Hansgrohe outsmarted the chasing pack in the final kilometre and no sprinter was able to take the stage or the pink jersey. The sprint did not go as planned, I finished third and was very disappointed.

On day two there was a long, hilly stage on the programme, of which it was by no means certain that it would end in a bunch sprint, let alone that we still counted on the pink jersey. But I was in good shape, got over the hills and the team brought me to the line in good position. It was one of my first races with Jasper De Buyst as a leadout.

On day two there was a long, hilly stage on the programme, of which it was by no means certain that it would end in a bunch sprint, let alone that we still counted on the pink jersey. But I was in good shape, got over the hills and the team brought me to the line in good position. It was one of my first races with Jasper De Buyst as a leadout.

It was a very chaotic sprint, where Fernando Gaviria and Caleb Ewan touched each other, the latter shot out of his pedal and I raced to the win. As a dessert I got the pink jersey, finally. The podium ceremony in the Giro was a party, with rousing music, numerous kisses, flowers and of course the mega-bottle of spumante from the sponsor. I got on the podium for the stage win, pink leader's jersey and points jersey - my Giro was already going strong. I now have the honour of having worn the leader's jersey in the Vuelta and the Giro, unique moments in my career. Only the leader's jersey in the Tour is still missing.

But there was also a downside: the Giro 2017 took place during a difficult period in my life. My now-deceased mother suffered from the muscle disease ALS and I actually preferred not to leave for the Giro. But the team management insisted and I went to Italy anyway. The rest is history ...