Pro-cycling thread

This interview from Dan Martin seems a bit strange. Was it not known well before that there was a gravel stage, and thus he was never going to be in GC contention with this mindset?

"I had guys crashing all around me on the first section [of gravel] so I just did my own pace, I nearly came back but my licence is road cycling so it's not my thing. Fair play to the guys who are at the front, but I just didn't want to take the risk today and that's it.

"The cycling fan in me thinks this is a beautiful stage but yeah it was on an unpredictable road surface and I don't have much experience on that particular terrain. No excuses just didn't feel like taking the risks."

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/dan-martin-says-cycling-is-not-worth-the-risk-after-losing-six-minutes-to-egan-bernal-on-gravel-of-giro-ditalia-2021