The Baloise Belgium Tour offers a chance to revisit some of the great roads of the spring classics.  Indeed, the third stage, won by Arnaud Demare (FDJ), is worthy to be considered a mini Tour of Flanders. The French rider beat Tom Boonen in the sprint, thereby grabbing his first win of the season.  IAM Cycling controlled the race the entire day, and was rewarded by defending Matthias Brändle’s lead, which has ballooned out to six seconds.

Brändle, who is the Austrian time trial champion, readily admitted that he owed his success today largely to the team.  From the beginning of the stage, the “rookies” such as, Simon Pellaud, Sondre Enger Holst and Marcel Aregger controlled the main breakaway, which never managed to take more than three minutes out of the peloton.  Then the more experienced riders for IAM Cycling took the reins, in particular Vicente Reynes.

“It was a difficult day,” Reynes explained.  “I think the team really managed it well.  On the final circuit, with only one lap to go, I thought it would be good to attack and not stay behind.  That way, the other teams would also have to work. 

"Today, it was simple to understand: everything would be hard.  Cobbles, climbs, wind, everything.  What I had to do was stay with Matthias and make sure he could keep his jersey.  But it was also important to remain vigilant as regards to Martin Elmiger, who is also very well placed in the overall classification.  In the final, with an eye towards defending the team’s position, and since we did not have a lot of guys to work, I gave the word to attack. The sole objective was to attack so that the other teams would have to work.”

With his bodyguard, Matthias Brändle rode in the slipstream, keeping his grip on the overall, and therefore will start Saturday in the red jersey again.  The Austrian is aware of and grateful for the work that his team has accomplished. 

“I really want to emphasize that I have this jersey still tonight because of the team,” Brändle said.  “Without them I cannot do anything.  They all helped me stay in touch with the peloton and protected me throughout the entire stage. 

"I was not afraid to lose the lead.  I have already done a good prologue, but I feel strong and I want to stay in the red jersey for as long as possible. 

"For Saturday’s sprint, it is possible that either Arnaud Demare or Tom Boonen could win and take the lead overall.  But even if that happens, it does not matter.  I may even be good for the team since it will allow us to rest a little, and nothing will prevent us from retaking the lead the next day.”

Reiterating this assessment, Eddy Seigneur, directeur sportif for IAM Cycling alongside Mario Chiesa, can consider the coming days without feeling any pressure. 

“Of course we want to keep the jersey until the finish.  But there are still many riders who are equally anxious to have the similar success we had in the prologue.  With these mass sprints, other riders take the time they need to get close; that is normal.  But Saturday is another day, and we will see what happens depending on how the breakaway is made and which riders are present, or how the stage unfolds in general.”