Sep Vanmarcke again finished on the podium in the Tour du Poitou Charentes on Wednesday. The LottoNL-Jumbo cyclist finished third in stage two, just as a day earlier.

The stage from Blanzac-Porcheresse to La Creche was won by Matteo Trentin (Etixx-QuickStep). The Italian won the sprint ahead of Yauheni Hutarovich (Bretagne-Séché Environnement) and Vanmarcke. Jos van Emden finished in the same group. The time trial specialist placed 13th. Nick van der Lijke won the sprint for second peloton, six seconds behind, and ended up 17th. Twan Castelijns (19th) and Paul Martens (22nd) were part of the same group.

All five riders were part of elite group of riders that split up after a hard race in the final kilometres. Moreno Hofland also was in the group, but fell away due to a puncture. Eventually, he finished 31st, 27 seconds after the winner.

"I attaced with a teammate (Paul Martens, ed) and the peloton split and a large group caught us," Vanmarcke told Directvelo. "We were now six of the team in front, it was good. The idea of this race is mainly to find a good feeling before the last major classics of the season. That's also why I wanted to race in front, to make a maximum effort. 

"I like this kind of weather with wind, echelons etc. It's good for our team. This race is very interesting, very open. Most races are closed and boring. This is not the case here. We can try things, and that's really nice. 

"Even though we were six in the leading group, we knew it was going to be impossible to attack to try to win alone. I was already on the attack yesterday and again today. Why not try something on the last day. There will be a really important day on Sunday at the Grand Prix de Plouay so if I can still make efforts on Friday, I will. Attacking is in my opinion the best way to find a good feeling and physical fitness.

“We rode an aggressive race, we really wreaked havoc,” Sports Director Frans Maassen said. “At a completely unexpected moment Paul and Sep attacked the bunch and closed a two-minute gap to the break. The race exploded after that and the final sixty kilometres was a real war. Everyone suffered. Eventually there was a leading group of about thirty men, with six of us and six men from Etixx-QuickStep. We were unlucky that Moreno punctured, but all in all, it was a great race.”

Trainee Twan Castelijns was complimented by Maassen.

“In the final kilometres, I was exhausted and not able to attack, but I think I can be satisfied,” Castelijns said modestly. “I’m racing like I have never gone before, and I able to compete. That’s a very nice feeling.”
 

On Thursday morning, the peloton faces a short stage of about 100 kilometres. In the afternoon the riders hop on their TT bikes for a 23-kilometre stage.

“I expect a bunch sprint in the morning stage,” Maassen said. “Tony Martin is the favourite for the time trial, but I’m curious to see what our men can do. With Jos, Twan, Sep and Steven Lammertink, we want to go full gas"