Fabio Aru: After injuries and bad luck, the Tour de France has proved a turning point in my season

Every week a cyclist from UAE Team Emirates will pen a column on how their season is progressing

UAE Team Emirates rider Fabio Aru rides through the crowds on the iconic Tourmalet climb on the 2019 Tour de France. All photos Bettini Photo

Kristoff leads UAE Team Emirates on a training ride ahead of the Grand Depart in Brussels.

UAE Team Emirates rider Dan Martin battles a climb on Stage 15 from Limoux to Foix.

UAE Team Emirates rider Rui Costa on Stage 12, Tolouse - Bagneres de Bigorre.

Kristoff and Philipsen riding together in the peloton on stage 11 from Albi to Toulouse.

Dan Martin signs autographs for fans ahead of stage 5.

Kristoff leads UAE Team Emirates on a training ride ahead of the Grand Depart in Brussels.

It’s no secret that my form hasn’t been where I’ve needed it to be over the past year. Bad luck, injury and surgery for the iliac artery in my leg have all played their part in this.

However, the Tour de France has proved to be a significant turning point in my season. It's been argued that the 2019 edition of Le Grand Boucle was the toughest we've had in recent history. More riders than usual retired early and so many of the main contenders didn't live up to their pre-race hype. But for me, it was exactly what I needed. It gave me a massive boost of confidence and I ended feeling far stronger than when I started.

Finishing 14th overall in a Grand Tour is nothing to be ashamed of, especially as this was only my fourth race, and second stage race, since the operation. During my career I have won the 2015 Vuelta a Espana and picked up a second place in the Giro the same year, I was fifth in the Tour in 2017 too. That is the level I know I can perform at and it's the level I am now targeting.

Whilst I went into the Tour with no expectations or pressure on my shoulders, the rest of the team were focused on their own individual objectives. Both [Dan] Martin and [Alexander] Kristoff wanted to build on last year’s successes by taking stages – Martin also wanted to perform in the GC [General Classification]. But it wasn’t to be for either of them. Kristoff came close on Stage 4, but [Elia] Viviani pipped him to the line. After that he was always in the mix, getting four top-10 places in the sprints, but the win was elusive. He was up against some extremely fast finishers - Caleb Ewan, Dylan Groenewegen, Peter Sagan - and you have to be perfect to beat those guys!

I spoke to Martin every day and we rode together often. He told me it was the most open and most challenging Tour that he’s ever done - and this is a rider that loves a tough parcours. He finished in the top 20 too, but he’s a fighter and he’ll be back stronger for sure.

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Tour de France from start to finish

Colombia's Egan Bernal celebrates in Paris after winning the Tour de France on July 28, 2019. AFP

Colombia's Egan Bernal, second right, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, passes by the Louvre in Paris on July 28, 2019. AFP

Cyclists ride dwon the Champs Elysees avenue with the Arc de Triomphe in background. AFP

The peloton ride down the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 28, 2019. AFP

Colombia's Egan Bernal, left, of Team Ineos passes by the Louvre in Paris during the final stage on July 28, 2019. AFP

Cyclists rise past the Eiffel Tower during the final stage on July 28, 2019. AFP

The peloton rides through the courtyard of the Louvre museum on July 28, 2019. AFP

Colombia's Egan Bernal, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and cyclists ride down the Champs Elysees avenue next to the Arc de Triomphe on July 28, 2019. AFP

Colombians celebrate as they watch the Tour de France in Zipaquira, Cundinamarca, Colombia on July 27, 2019. Egan Bernal was poised to become Colombia's first Tour de France winner and the youngest of any nationality since 1909. AFP

Colombia's Egan Bernal celebrates on the podium after the 20th stage between Albertville and Val Thorens, in Val Thorens, on July 27, 2019. AFP

Fans cheer as France's Romain Bardet, left, and Michael Woods of Canada during the 18th stage between Embrun and Valloire, in Valloire, on July 25, 2019. AFP

The peloton rides throught the Casse Deserte, to the Col de l'Izoard during the 18th stage between Embrun and Valloire, in Valloire, on July 25, 2019. AFP

Colombia's Nairo Quintana celebrates after winning the 18th stage on July 25, 2019. AFP

Colombia's Nairo Quintana celebrates after winning the 18th stage, on July 25, 2019. AFP

French rider Julian Alaphilippe, centre, during the 18th stage on July 25, 2019. AFP

The peleton during the 18th stage between Embrun and Valloire, in Valloire, on July 25, 2019. AFP

The peleton passes by the Lac de Serre-Poncon during the 18th stage on July 25, 2019. AFP

Fans cheer the peleton during the 16th stage on July 23, 2019. AFP

France's Julian Alaphilippe, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, crosses the Pont du Gard during the 16th stage on July 23, 2019. AFP

France's Julian Alaphilippe celebrates on the podium after the 15th stage between Limoux and Foix Prat d'Albis, on July 21, 2019. AFP

Fans cheer Great Britain's Simon Yates during the 15th stage between Limoux and Foix Prat d'Albis, on July 21, 2019. AFP

Fans during the 14th stage between Tarbes and Tourmalet Bareges, on July 20, 2019. AFP

France's Julian Alaphilippe celebrates after the 14th stage between Tarbes and Tourmalet Bareges, on July 20, 2019. AFP

Left to right: Belgium's Thomas De Gendt, Stephane Rossetto of France and France's Lilian Calmejane during the 11th stage between Albi and Toulouse, on July 17, 2019. AFP

France's Thibaut Pinot celebrates after winning the 14th stage between Tarbes and Tourmalet Bareges, on July 20, 2019. AFP

France's Julian Alaphilippe, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, during the 14th stage between Tarbes and Tourmalet Bareges, on July 20, 2019. AFP

Argentina's Maximiliano Richeze rides past fans during the 13th stage - a 27.2km individual time-trial in Pau, on July 19, 2019. AFP

Left to right: Germany's Nikias Arndt, Pierre-Luc Perichon of France, Belgium's Tiesj Benoot and Andrea Pasqualon of Italy during the 12th stage between Toulouse and Bagneres-de-Bigorre, on July 18, 2019. AFP

The peleton rides during the 11th stage between Albi and Toulouse, on July 17, 2019. AFP

France's Julian Alaphilippe, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, during the 10th stage between Saint-Flour and Albi, on July 15, 2019. AFP

The peleton during the 9th stage between Saint-Etienne and Brioude in Saint-Etienne, eastern France, on July 14, 2019. AFP

France's Julian Alaphilippe celebrates after the 9th stage between Saint-Etienne and Brioude, in Brioude, eastern France, on July 14, 2019. AFP

Fans cheer the riders in the Mur d'Aurec-sur-Loire during the 9th stage Saint-Etienne and Brioude, on July 14, 2019. AFP

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One rider that really caught my eye was [Jasper] Philipsen. The young Belgian talent is only 21 years old. This was his first ever Grand Tour, during his debut season on the World Tour, and he was up there with the best of them. We’d given him the role of being Kristoff’s lead out man and he was able to show his strength at the end of every stage he raced. The fact that he got three top-10 finishes himself tells me that we’ve found a future superstar.

As most of the world now knows, the Tour was won by another young superstar - the Colombian rider Egan Bernal (Team Ineos). He deserves a huge amount of respect for taking the Yellow Jersey across the line in Paris, in only his second ever Grand Tour. Chapeaux Egan!

Speaking for UAE Team Emirates, we now need to look at what worked and what didn’t and start planning for our next block of racing, because our season is far from over. As for me personally, I am looking forward to a few days off the bike to rest and also reflect on one of the most exciting races I’ve been a part of since joining the team.