The Movistar Team had their Milano-Sanremo to the worst possible start yesterday, as their in-form fast finisher José Joaquín Rojas was forced to abandon the race after he had suffered a crash in the neutral zone. However, the exceptionally long course of 294 km mostly negotiated in a cold rain didn’t discourage Juan Jose Lobato to capitalize from an unexpected opportunity to play his own cards as a protected man and the 25-year old Spaniard debuting in La Primavera saved a day for a telephone squad by finishing fourth.

Pleased by the opportunity he unexpectedly has been provided with, Lobato praised Movistar for giving him a chance to debut in the race he always enjoyed watching. In the same time, the 25-year old sprinter acknowledged that despite a very positive outcome of a tough day in the saddle he leaves Sanremo with a bittersweet in his mouth, aware that a podium was agonizingly close.

“I really wanted to try myself in this race, because last year I didn’t have such chance with Euskaltel. There are two races I have always loved: World Championships and Milano-Sanremo. I could finally debut in this one [Sanremo] and I’m very happy, even though it has been slightly bittersweet as I had enough legs to make it to the podium,” Lobato told Biciciclismo.

“The cold weather hugely influenced the race and I have suffered for many hours today, almost from twentieth kilometer. I had to stop once to get more clothing and change shoes, but apart from that I was feeling very good. I negotiated the Cipressa very well and stayed at front on Poggio anticipating attacks from Cancellara and Sagan.”

Interestingly, facing an opportunity to race in the longest event of the UCI calendar for the first time, Lobato claimed that the infamous length of La Classicissima didn’t affect his sprinting skills and a slightly disappointing fourth position was due to bad positioning.

“A sprint with 300 kilometers in legs had nothing to do with it, and even though I tried to stay in Cavendish’s wheel for the final lead-out, I’ve been blocked a bit and couldn’t get a podium result,” Lobato explained.

“Kristoff has been second to none, but the rest didn’t have better legs than I did. At least I have discovered this race and acknowledged it can be my target in coming years.”