Team NetApp-Endura had no rider in the successful break in today's stage of the Tour of Britain. The team focused on keeping Leoold König safe but may ride more aggressively in the upcoming stages.

Today’s fifth stage of the Tour of Britain covered 177 kilometers from Exmouth to Exeter and featured a treacherous finale with a mountain classification just 2 kilometers before the finish line. Matthias Brändle clenched the win to finish with a solo ride ahead of his two fellow escapees Archbold (An Post – Chain Reaction) and Wynants (Belkin-Pro Cycling Team). Leopold König was able to secure his eighth place position in the general classification with a solid performance, reaching the finish line 14 seconds behind the stage winner with a group of 33 other riders that included all the favorites to win the tour.

“We focused on larger groups today. Since several of our riders were a bit shaky, it was fine that Team NetApp-Endura didn’t have anyone in the four-man group. Our primary goal for the final stretch was to get our two classification riders into position, and we executed that quite well. It simply wasn’t possible to get a good stage result today,” Sport Director Enrico Poitschke concluded after today’s difficult stage. “Over the next few days we might have to consider attacking depending on how we are doing on that particular day,” Poitschke said, revealing a possible strategy for the last three stages.

Anything could happen in tomorrow’s stage as well. An early, unclassified climb will present good opportunities for an attack. The undulating final stretch with three mountain classifications will play to the strengths of classics specialists, while the fact that the final mountain classification comes 15 kilometers before the finish line in Hemel Hempstead also gives sprinters reason to be hopeful.