Dominik Nerz and Samuel Sanchez worked hard to defend the BMC colours in today's hard stage of the Tour de Pologne but both of them ended up losing a bit og ground to the best riders. However, they are still within striking distance of a top 10 result.

Dominik Nerz of the BMC Racing Team finished 11th on Friday's penultimate stage of the Tour de Pologne, while teammate Samuel Sánchez was also in the top 20, in 17th place. Nerz and Sánchez could not follow the accelerations of Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) who won his second straight stage and too the race lead.

Movistar Team riders Beñat Intxausti and Ion Izaguirre finished second and third, respectively, for the second straight day as well. The pair are 18 and 22 seconds off the overall lead on the eve of the individual time trial that caps the race.

Nerz arrived at the finish of the 174-kilometer race 27 seconds after Majka while Sánchez was a further 21 seconds back. Sánchez is 15th, 68 seconds off the lead, heading into the time trial, while Nerz is 16th, 73 seconds back.

"Dominik was working well with Samuel in the final and Samuel saw that Dominik had good legs and helped keep him in front," BMC Racing Team Sport Director Fabio Baldato said.

On a day when many riders withdrew from the race, past world road champion Thor Hushovd and former Danish national road champion Sebastian Lander both did not finish for the BMC Racing Team.