NetApp-Endura went into the GP Isbergues without their sprinter Sam Bennett who is recovering from illness. This left the team with no chance in the final bunch sprint.

The 68th Grand Prix d’Isbergues – Pas de Calais in northern France took place over 200 kilometers today. French rider Arnaud Demare (FDJ) delivered a home victory. In the mass sprint, he beat out Yauheni Hutarovich (AG2R) and Heinrich Haussler (IAM). Ralf Matzka was the quickest Team NetApp – Endura rider, sprinting into 17th. place.

"What we were afraid of before the weekend came true today. Without our sprint captain, Sam Bennett, it became very difficult for us to succeed in a mass sprint situation. Blaz worked well all day but then he missed out in the final stretch, and Scott is still suffering from the crash in the Tour of Britain, in which he bruised his ribs. We were thus down to four riders in the final stretch. The guys prepared the sprint for Ralf, but lost touch in the last kilometer," says Sport Director Andre Schulze, summing up the race.

The next race for the riders who were on the starting line today will be the Belgian autumn classic, the Omloop van het Houtland Lichtervelde this Wednesday.