Philippe Gilbert (BMC) put a frustrating start to the year behind him when he finally managed to win his first race of the year on stage of the Tour de Luxembourg. In a finale tailor-made for his characteristics, he held of Maurits Lammertink (Roompot) in close sprint on the 440m, 13 wall in Schifflange. Race leader Jempy Drucker (BMC) crashed in the finale and so Lammertink took over the race lead by virtue of bonus seconds.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Philippe Gilbert: After all my problems, this is an important win for me

Phillipe Gilbert won BMC Racing Team’s second stage of the ŠkodaTour de Luxembourg as he took victory after a hectic uphill finish into Schifflange.

 

The day’s breakaway were kept in control by the peloton, with the gap never reaching above four minutes. They started to come under pressure from the peloton with 40 kilometers to go and after a a strong turn at the front from BMC Racing Team they were caught inside the final 20 kilometers.

 

With the peloton regrouped, the riders headed for their final test of the day with Gilbert coming out on top after the short, sharp 400m climb.

 

Jempy Drucker was involved in a unfortunately timed crash heading onto the start of the final climb which him slip out of contention on the General Classification, which is now being led by Maurits Lammertink (Roompot - Oranje Peloton).

 

“I am really happy to win especially after a long break and all the problems that I’ve had. It’s an important win for me,” Gilbert said.

 

“I heard on the radio that Jempy had crashed but at this point at the race, there is nothing that you can do to help. We really rode well today as a team so it is disappointing for him.

 

“In the professional cycling world, there are no little races so it is always important to win. I am now sitting second on GC, nine seconds behind, so if Lammertink is smart he can definitely win the race but we will see.”

 

Sport director, Jackson Stewart said: “It was a bittersweet day for us today. The guys did a great job at controlling the race all day and then in the final we were able to get Jempy [Drucker] and Phillippe [Gilbert] into a good position going into the bottom of the climb. Unfortunately in the shuffling for positions, Jempy was knocked down and broke his bike and that meant that he lost a lot of time and the GC. Ahead of him Phil [Gilbert] was riding really strong and he definitely saved the day for us by taking the stage victory.”

 

Crash takes Jempy Drucker out of GC contention in Luxembourg

Jempy Drucker said: “The guys did a super good job all day and I was really thankful for that. Heading onto the final climb, I was super motivated was holding onto Phil’s wheel but then I got knocked and crashed into the barriers. It obviously disappointing to have lost the leader’s jersey but it was a great experience to wear yellow, especially in Luxembourg, and I am really happy that Phil could go on and take the win today.”

 

Illness forces Tom Bohli to abandon the Tour de Luxembourg

Earlier in the day, Tom Bohli was forced to withdraw from the ŠkodaTour de Luxembourg due to illness. 

 

BMC Racing Team Dr Dario Spinelli said: “Tom has developed a viral upper respiratory infection and it was not in his best interest to continue racing in Luxembourg. He will need to have a few days rest but after that he should be able to get back on the bike and continue with his current race schedule.”

 

Maurits Lammertink: I am definitely going for the overall win on Luxembourg

Maurits Lammertink is the new leader in the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg. The rider of Roompot - Orange Peloton was second behind Philippe Gilbert. Thanks to bonus seconds, Lammertink takes the yellow jersey from Gilbert's BMC teammate Jean-Pierre Drucker.

 

"It ws too bad that I just could not hold Gilbert off, but it is beautiful that I have the leader's jersey," Lammertink said after the podium ceremony in Schifflange. "After the second place in the prologue, I had put my heart on yellow. It is very nice that it worked! "

 

Earlier in the 163-kilometer stage, Etienne van Empel was part of a breakaway group – just like yesterday. Then Tim Kerkhof was in front for a long time. 

 

"He was caught five kilometers from the finish and just before the final climb I was dropped off right up front by Reinier Honig and Wesley Kreder," the new leader said. "I was third in the final corner, behind Marco Marcato who went down. I could not close the gap to Gilbert," said Lammertink. Teammate Huub Duijn finished twelfth.

 

Last year Lammertink took the first victory ever for Roompot - Orange peloton in a stage of the Tour de Limousin. The 25-year-old resident wants to do everything to take his second win as a pro in Luxembourg.

 

"We are of course going for that. There are still two tough stages, but I feel good. First I have to discuss the tactics with team manager Van Poppel and the team tonight." 

 

Lammertink has a lead of 9 seconds overPhilippe Gilbert and Alex Kirsch. 

 

Local Stölting rider continues to shine in Luxembourg

Stage 3 of the Skoda-Tour de Luxembourg (2.HC) finished with a tough climb on the final kilometre. Alex Kirsch made full use of his local knowledge and finished third with a strong performance.

 

The first key point was a sharp left turn at some 900 m to go, the 440 m climb starting shortly afterwards. Team Stölting Service Group were at the front of the race and positioned Kirsch as well as Rasmus Guldhammer perfectly, while overall leader Jempy Drucker (BMC Racing Team) took a tumble. Kirsch entered the climb in second position and soon took the lead, but he was passed by two riders on the final 300 m after the climb. Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) won the stage ahead of Maurits Lammertink (Roompot – Oranje Peloton), Kirsch took third place. Lammertink is the new overall leader, Kirsch is now also third in GC, only nine seconds behind Lammertink and in the same time as Gilbert.

 

Sports Director Gregor Willwohl praised the team after the stage: “Alex knows every metre of road here. He captained the team very well today and knew exactly when, where and how they had to ride. Jonas Tenbrock and Michael Reihs were tasked with leading him out into the corner at 900 m to go, in the race Gerald Ciolek and Mads Pedersen also slotted into this train. They brought Alex and Rasmus to the front, Drucker’s crash was further behind. Today’s result was a great performance by the whole team.”

 

Tosh Van der Sande benefits from world’s best lead-out train in Luxembourg

Lotto Soudal rider Tosh Van der Sande sprinted to the fifth place.

 

He said: “Today I think that I had the perfect lead-out from the rest of the team. It is always nice to have such a good lead-out train – one of the best in the world – to take you up to the last climb like my teammates did today. On the steepest part of the ascent, I managed to accelerate, and towards the top, I had accumulated a little bit of an advantage over the rest behind me. But then they were able to come over me, and I ended up having to sit back slightly. However, in the end I managed to cross the line in fifth position, so I think I can be happy with the result.”

 

Christopher Juul tries to minimize losses in uphill sprint in Luxembourg

Top twenty finish for ORICA-GreenEDGE on the second stage of the Tour de Luxembourg with Danish rider Chris Juul-Jensen climbing to 17th place.

 

The 168kilometre rolling stage concluded with a gruelling steep climb up to the finish line in Schifflange were Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) proved to be the strongest in the final to claim the stage win.

 

"It was a really hard finishing climb today," explained sport director Matt Wilson. "Basically as steep as the Muur de Huy just not as long. It was a really nasty little climb, only a couple of hundred metres long but a perfect stage for Gilbert.”

 

Having started the tour with a fast team line up, Wilson was satisfied with the performance on a day which wasn't necessarily suited to the fairly young squad.

 

"We didn't really have any real specialists for the stage," Wilson continued. "We tried to get Chris in good position to hopefully not lose any time and also Alex Edmondson went in to this stage in sixth place on the general classification just seven seconds down. 

 

"If he was able to get into the front group that would have been ideal, but both riders lost a few seconds to that small group that went away on the climb.

 

"It was just a really hard finish, so we are happy to have finished the stage safely and without losing too much time with two more big stages to come."

 

No legs for Oscar Gatto in uphill sprint in Luxembourg

For Tinkoff, the speed of the final 12.8% climb was just too much after a day chasing down the break, with Oscar Gatto crossing the line just over a minute behind the stage winner as riders came over the line one by one.

 

With the race leader crashing in the frenetic run up to the final kilometres testament to the difficulty of the end of the stage, Oscar Gatto came in 74th – the first Tinkoff rider home.

 

While the team’s aim was to get Oscar Gatto in position to contest the finish, the fearsome pace at the end was too much on the final climb, as Sport Director, Lars Michaelsen explained.

 

“It was quite a predictable stage today with a morning breakaway and then the race coming down to the final climb where the favourites started to attack each other. Our plan was to focus our efforts around Oscar and get him into position for the finish but at the end he didn't quite have the legs to follow.”

 

Coming at the end of the stage where the pace would be high, the Schifflange was particularly difficult, Michaelsen continued.

 

“The climb was tough, starting at 12-15% for 400-500m before it evened out a bit – it was a real one for the puncheurs. Yesterday was a good day for us, and today not so good, but we will keep taking it day by day and tomorrow could be another chance, with a finishing circuit again with a climb, but the finish coming on the flat. We will make a plan and go for it again there.”