Moreno Moser proved quickest in Bregenz on Sunday, winning the final stage of the Tour of Austria. The 24-year-old benefitted from a brilliant team effort by Cannondale-Garmin throughout the 184 kilometer stage en route to his first victory of the season.

“The team helped me a lot today – especially in that last kilometer,” said Moreno. “I have to thank them. It was important to be at the front in the last kilometer, and they helped me stay exactly where I needed to be.”

Cannondale-Garmin was on the offensive throughout the entire stage. Matej Mohoric, Ben King and Tom Jelte Slagter featured in multiple breakaways.

“Matej was in the breakaway all day,” said sport director Johnny Weltz. “He was caught and went again immediately. Ben was up the rode on several occasions. Tom was in the last move of the day. We had options, and the team knew it. They attacked all day.”

Two categorized climbs on the course provided the perfect terrain for the planned aggression. Cannondale-Garmin wanted to force a breakaway or inspire a selection before the finale.

“We made it very hard up the climbs,” said Weltz. “There were a lot of attacks and breakaways. It split the peloton so that we came to a line with a reduced group. It was to our benefit to race really hard – even if the race came back together at the end.”

Slagter featured in the final break attempt. His three-rider escape group was caught just before the two-kilometer mark.

“The guys deserved to win with the way they raced today,” Weltz said. “They were everywhere, and they were in control from the beginning. With the way things have gone this week, we had a feeling the win was just around the corner.”

“The team rode well from the start,” Moser agreed. “We were in the right place in the right moment every single time. Always we had someone in the breakaway. The stage was hard because of how we raced.”

“There were 50-60 riders in the sprint,” Moser added. “Normally I can’t do this kind of sprint but yesterday I did a good sprint for third, so I wanted to try today. I’m happy to repay my teammates with the win.”

Six corners in the final kilometer made for a highly technical finale. Cannondale-Garmin knew that the train needed to be on the front from the flamme rouge.

“Villella and Mohoric helped me stay on the front,” Moreno explained. “I was on the front for almost all of the last kilometer. [David] Tanner (IAM) passed me in the last corner, but I past him again in the last 10 meters.”

Moreno said admits the finish was so close that he crossed the line unaware that he had won.

“I wasn’t sure when we crossed the line,” Moreno explained. “I beat him by 10 centimeters or something like this. I wasn’t sure. I asked him: ‘Did I win or did you win?’ and that’s when he told me I had beaten him.”

“It was a great feeling to come back to the top step of the podium,” Moreno added. “I’m really happy with the team and the way we raced.”