CyclingQuotes.com uses cookies for statistics and targeting ads. This information is shared with third parties.
ACCEPT COOKIES » MORE INFO »

Every day we bring you more pro-cycling news

"It had already been a pretty good season, with six second places, but since the Tour of Austria I have felt really well, and I was coming into Wallonie with strength and will to do well."

Photo: Sirotti

JUAN JOSE LOBATO

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

MOVISTAR TEAM

TEAM PROFILE
|
NEWS

TOUR DE WALLONIE 

RACE PROFILE
|
NEWS
28.07.2014 @ 19:39 Posted by Emil Axelgaard

Having already finished second no less than six times in 2014, Juan Jose Lobato finally broke the curse when he won today's second stage of the Tour de Wallonie by launching a powerful sprint on the uphill finishing straight. With the final two stages being even tougher, however, the Spaniard doesn't expect to have more ahcens in the five-day race.

 

So many times 'crashing' against the barrier that separates a sprinter from the needed victory to open his account, Juanjo Lobato broke the wall with a convincing success to claim his first win in Movistar Team colours on stage three of the Tour de Wallonie. The 174km parcours from Somme-Leuze to Neufchâteau was hardened by seven categorized climbs, but above all by cold and rain which only the most resistant riders could combat.

 

The telephone squad was one of the most active in their will to break control of the strongest sprinters' squads. Attacks by Amador (twice), Ventoso, Sanz and Lastras, as well as consistent vigilance by Sütterlin and Gutiérrez, covered Lobato in the second half of the race, where the flurry of attacks was relentless. With Czech Zdenek Stybar (OPQ) caught in the final kilometer, a swerve seemed to take the Andalusian out of position, yet Lobato bounced back with skill and his strong rush to the line in a slightly uphill finish left all rivals - including race leader Gianni Meersman (OPQ, 2nd) - several bike lengths behind.

 

Lobato's success, his 7th as professional rider and Movistar Team's 25th so far in 2014, makes him the tenth rider from the telephone squad - after the Quintana brothers, the Izagirres, Valverde, Dowsett, Rojas, Malori and Jesús Herrada - to have raised his arms victorious this year. The Spaniard is now 2nd overall, 11" behind Meersman, before two demanding stages set to decide the overall outcome, starting with Tuesday's 175km - with no less than eleven ascents - between Herve and Waremme. 

 

"It was an incredible finish," he said. "Looking at the gap over my rivals, it may have looked easy that it was easy, but it certainly wasn't - I was dead tired, and had any wheel come past in that sprint, I would barely have made it to the finish.

 

"It was really beautiful: we came into the last descent at more than 70 kph, with lots of attacks, but thanks to my team-mates, I could keep myself calm, come into good position and make my sprint.

 

"It had already been a pretty good season, with six second places, but since the Tour of Austria I have felt really well, and I was coming into Wallonie with strength and will to do well. The two stages remaiming are really more difficult for me - we will see day by day how many chances I have out on course, I don't really know how I'll cope with those climbs.

 

"I have felt very well since the start of the Tour de Wallonie. I tried to achieve a good result in each stage. Today, it finally paid off. I felt particularly strong and I'm obviously happy to bring a stage victory to the team. After this race, I want to go to the Vuelta which is the most important race for all Spaniards."

MORE NEWS:

VIEW SELECTED

Bycykling 101: Navigering i byens gader og cykelvenlige... 27.11.2023 @ 12:11The Best Danish Cyclist To Bet On At 2022 Tour De France 13.01.2022 @ 15:262022 Upcoming Tournament Overview 03.01.2022 @ 09:45Best Place to Find Stand-Up Paddleboards 16.06.2021 @ 08:16What are Primoz Roglic’s Chances to Win 2021 Tour de Fr... 17.03.2021 @ 08:37Amazing victory by young champion Sarah Gigante 04.02.2021 @ 14:21Three reasons why cycling is one of the best ways to ex... 28.09.2020 @ 12:03Why do businesses use meeting room managers? 14.09.2020 @ 13:42Five things that you can do, if you want to gain more f... 20.08.2020 @ 15:38One for the road 09.06.2020 @ 15:25List of CyclingQuotes previews 07.05.2020 @ 13:20Blue Energy: room for all interests 26.08.2019 @ 12:56Get your daily dose of exercise at home 08.07.2019 @ 10:443 good advice to be able to afford your favorite bike 25.02.2019 @ 12:32Cycle through gorgeous landscapes 22.10.2018 @ 21:41Balance Your Economy and Diet and Start Saving Money 08.10.2018 @ 11:18Stay Safe: 3 Helmets That Can Keep Your Head Protected... 20.07.2018 @ 07:59Planning to bet on Tour De France - Bet types and strat... 24.05.2018 @ 14:18Basics of cycling betting 25.10.2017 @ 13:10Bauer moves to ORICA-SCOTT 28.08.2017 @ 10:45End of the road for CyclingQuotes 08.01.2017 @ 16:00Rui Costa confirms Giro participation 07.01.2017 @ 12:55Van Avermaet: I am not afraid of Sagan 07.01.2017 @ 09:45Unchanged course for E3 Harelbeke 07.01.2017 @ 09:32Jenner takes surprise win at Australian U23 Championships 07.01.2017 @ 08:53No replacement for Meersman at Fortuneo-Vital Concept 06.01.2017 @ 19:14Barguil with two goals in 2017 06.01.2017 @ 19:06More details about French Vuelta start emerges 06.01.2017 @ 14:16Kristoff to start season at Etoile de Besseges 06.01.2017 @ 14:10Ion Izagirre announces schedule for first year at Bahrain 06.01.2017 @ 12:40JLT Condor optimistic for Herald Sun Tour 06.01.2017 @ 09:19Haas leads Dimension Data trio in fight for Australian... 06.01.2017 @ 09:15Sagan spearheads Bora-hansgrohe at Tour Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:12Henao and Thomas lead Sky Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:09Bauer crowned New Zealand TT champion 06.01.2017 @ 08:33Van der Poel ready to defend Dutch title 05.01.2017 @ 21:00Pantano ambitious for first Tour with Trek 05.01.2017 @ 20:41Landa with new approach to the Giro 05.01.2017 @ 20:36Sunweb Development Team sign Goos and Zepuntke 05.01.2017 @ 20:27Dumoulin confirms Giro participation 05.01.2017 @ 20:19Bauer targets victories in Quick-Step debut 05.01.2017 @ 20:16Gaviria and Boonen lead Quick-Step in San Juan 05.01.2017 @ 20:13Team Sunweb presented in Germany 05.01.2017 @ 20:09ASO take over major German WorldTour race 05.01.2017 @ 11:01Team Sunweb unveil new jersey 05.01.2017 @ 10:54Reactions from the Australian TT Championships 05.01.2017 @ 08:27Dennis defends Australian TT title 05.01.2017 @ 08:21Scotson takes back to back U23 TT titles in Australia 05.01.2017 @ 08:15Utrecht on track to host 2020 Vuelta 04.01.2017 @ 18:28Pre-season setback for Talansky 04.01.2017 @ 17:56Kristoff: It's not impossible for me to win in Rou... 04.01.2017 @ 17:49Boom close to first cyclo-cross win in LottoNL debut 04.01.2017 @ 17:40UAE Abu Dhabi make late signing of Arab rider 04.01.2017 @ 17:36UAE Abu Dhabi unveil new jersey 04.01.2017 @ 17:30BMC unveil race schedule 04.01.2017 @ 17:21

Currently no news in this list

Christophe PREMONT
35 years | today
Kevyn ISTA
40 years | today
Jorge CASTEL
36 years | today
Ryoma WATANABE
23 years | today
Rolando AMARGO
28 years | today

© CyclingQuotes.com