Having finished 16th, 10th and 5th in the last three editions respectively, Simon Geschke (Giant-Shimano) continued his upwards trajectory in the Brabantse Pijl when he finished fourth in today's race. The German was pleased with his performance that sets him well up for the Ardennes classics where he targets a top 10 for his Dutch team.

Simon Geschke has sprinted to fourth place at De Brabantse Pijl for Team Giant-Shimano today, improving one place on his position in last years edition but falling just short of the podium places.

Geschke and Dries Devenyns were well positioned coming to the base of the final climb before the line and took the left hand turn at the crest in the top ten. However in the sprint to the line Geschke was caught on the outside and was clawing back places all the way to the line.

De Brabantse Pijl marks the first classic away from the cobbles of the north and with its rolling profile favours the attacking riders. The profile lived up to its expectations and the attacks came from start to finish.

A breakaway of six riders pulled clear but when their advantage started to fall the attacks came again from behind and several riders got clear without any one from Team Giant-Shimano amongst them.

The team regrouped and chased from behind and helped to nullify these moves bringing the race back together and with 10km to go a reduced peloton was back together heading into the final climb before the finish. Devenyns pulled clear with one other rider in the closing kilometres but the gap was never much more than a few seconds and as the riders started to climb they were all together.

Geschke took the final corner in around fifth or sixth place and moved up slightly but couldn’t get any further.

“It was a good test for the legs today and I’m pleased with how they felt,” said Geschke after the finish. “The race went different to previous years but the team worked hard to get me and Dries to the front at the end as planned. Dries worked really hard in the last kilometres for me and I am pleased with fourth. I can be confident for Sunday now.”

Team Giant-Shimano coach Rudi Kemna added:

“The team work from start to finish was what impressed me today. All the guys did their job to firstly make sure that the right break went early on and then to help close the gaps later.

“When we missed the strong move later on the team were there to cover and bring it back and then set Simon and Dries up at the end. Overall it was a good race and we rode and communicated well together.”

Thomas Damuseau also added:

“It was a good race for us today and right from the start we had to make sure the right move went without any of the big teams present. We all took turns in covering the moves, saving Dries and Simon for later on.

“When the move of six went it was good for us as there were none of the big teams represented there. When the attacks came later we were reactive with Thierry Hupond, Roy Curvers and myself and then Johannes Fröhlinger started pulling with Thierry to help bring the race back together later on.

“The guys did a good job at the end and it was a good test for the team today in the first race after the flat classics where the racing is a bit different.”