Before today’s fifth and final stage of Tour du Poitou Charentes, CULT Energy Pro Cycling’s Rasmus Quaade was sitting in 5th in the general classification. The 197 kilometer stretch between Gourge and Poitiers did stir up the peloton along the way but the CULT Energy riders were constantly around Rasmus Quaade.

A group consisting of Alexandre Blain (Team Marseille 13-KTM),Thomas Boudat (Team Europcar), Clément Venturini (Cofidis), Frédéric Brun (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Romain Combaud (Armée de Terre) and Ludwig De Winter (Wallonie-Bruxelles) launched the initial break while the Etixx-Quick Step team controlled the pace in the pack. As theyhit the final local lap containing a climb over 500 meters with an average gradient of 11 per cent, things were cooking up in the field and attacks were flying from left and right while the CULT Energy riders were pacing Quaade to maintain a spot in the front row of the peloton.

In the furious bunch gallop, Matteo Trentin (Etixx-Quick Step) put the icing on the cake by taking the stage win while Tony Martin conquered the overall classification. CULT Energy’s Rasmus Quaade finished 21st in the stage and retained 5th overall.

Rasmus Quaade says:

“This is rather unreal for me. It’s my best performance in a stage race ever and I have to pinch myself in order to comprehend that I’m up there with Tony Martin, Adriano Malori and Sep Vanmarcke. It tells me that the form is finally coming along but it definitely underlines that I have had a super team supporting me throughout the entire race. I’m really grateful for their commitment and absolute loyalty. The result gives me confidence ahead of the coming challenges including the TT World Championships."