Team Novo Nordisk’s Martijn Verschoor put in a hard fight throughout Saturday’s Albert Achterhes Pet Profonde van Drenthe. Yet with little help from the chase in the final kilometers, he was unable to achieve the result he desired at his hometown race.

Saturday’s race began in Hoogeveen under cloudy skies. Throughout the 204.7-kilometer race, riders experienced nearly freezing temperatures and occasional rain. A four-man break escaped as the peloton climb the VAMberg for the second of four times. Soon a fifth rider bridged up, but the break was caught with 70 km remaining. By this point, the dynamic course and cold temperatures had taken their toll, and the peloton split into several groups with a front group of 20 riders chased by a second group of approximately 10 riders.

On the final time over the VAMberg, five riders attacked the front group and quickly built a gap of more than a minute. Verschoor worked hard at the front of the chase on the final laps around Hoogeveen, but no other teams would help reel in the break. The escapees held on until the finish with Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen Baloise) sprinting to the win. Verschoor finished in 15th position.

“My legs felt good throughout the day, and I worked so hard on the front of the chase,” Verschoor said. “Unfortunately no one else in my group would help bring back the break. I gave all my efforts trying to bring back the break before the finish. I did my best today and hopefully will have another chance tomorrow.”

Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen Baloise) took the win ahead of Bert–Jan Lindeman (Team Lotto NL-Jumbo) and Joey van Rhee (CyclingTeam Jo Piels).

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, continues racing in the Netherlands on Sunday at the Energiewacht Dwars door Drenthe. The 196.8-km race begins and ends in Roden.