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Just bury it, Peter, I told myself. You sprint for the line and worry about the position after. We were rocketing along the harbor now, and there was a left-hander then a right-hander, then a straight shot of about 300 meters to the finish line. My heart was in my mouth, I could taste blood. You’re this close, Peter. Don’t die wondering.

Alberto Bettiol was flat out on the front, and it was clear that this was the beginning of the sprint. Nothing cagey here. Everybody was on their own personal limit after six and a half hours, it still wasn’t clear if anybody was left out in front, and the earpiece that linked me to Ján Valach in the Slovakia team car behind us wasn’t helping as the dropout in live coverage had left the support caravan just as confused as those of us racing. There was no possibility of slowing down to look at my rivals. Bettiol was doing an amazing job for his fastest remaining Italian teammate, Matteo Trentin, but it was working for all of us who wanted to sprint. Shit, I don’t think I’ve ever been traveling so fast on a bike after 267 kilometers. I’ve hardly ever ridden 267 kilometers in my life, let alone felt like sprinting at the end of it.