BMC proved that they are now among the very best time trial squads when the put no less than 5 riders in the top 15 in the Eneco TT. Manuel Quinziato was best in 4th and the Italian has set his sights on a top result in the GC.
The BMC Racing Team put three riders in the top 10 – and had five in the top 15 – in Wednesday's individual time trial at the Eneco Tour of Benelux as Manuel Quinziato moved into third place overall.
Quinziato powered his bike to a team-best fourth place in the 9.6-kilometer race against the clock to pull within four seconds of new overall leader Lars Boom (Belkin Pro Cycling). Stage winner Tom Dumoulin (Team Giant-Shimano) is in second place overall, also four seconds off the lead, with three days to go.
"This was a good time trial day for the BMC Racing Team," Sporting Manager Allan Peiper said. "We have been working hard on getting results in time trials and today there was a world-class field. If you see the guys who were racing, it was the top time trialists with really the only person missing was Tony Martin (of Omega Pharma-Quick Step). It was a good team effort and is good for the next few days."
After Quinziato's fourth place (14 seconds back of Dumoulin), Stephen Cummings was sixth (at 17 seconds), Rohan Dennis was 10th (at 20 seconds), Silvan Dillier was 11th (at 21 seconds) and Daniel Oss was 13th (at 23 seconds). Philippe Gilbert, 22nd on the day (32 seconds back), remains in the top 10 overall, 21 seconds off the lead.
Fifth on Tuesday's stage, Quinziato said he gauged his effort in earning his fourth top 10 result in six individual time trials he has ridden in this year.
"I tried to be a bit conservative the first part, then the last four kilometers, I closed my eyes and went all in," he said. "I am happy and motivated and I have nothing to lose. Other riders have more pressure."
Quinziato said he is exceeding his own expectations in a race he has targeted.
"I asked to have this race as a goal two months ago, after the Giro d'Italia," he said. "Now I am really happy that I am keeping my promise and really also paying back the team and doing my part."
Cummings, who was third in the final time trial at the Tour de Pologne Saturday, said he lost a few seconds in the turns.
"I think there were four or five corners that you had to slow down for," he said. "I think the form is there. In Poland, I did not pace my effort that well. I started too hard. Here, I maybe went too slow in the corners. I could have saved about five seconds in the corners."
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