In the first three days of the Eneco Tour the Wanty-Groupe Gobert team rode aggressively. In the first stage with start and finish in Bolsward and in the third stage from Beveren to Ardooie, Frederik Veuchelen represented the colors of the team in the breakaway.
“I always have to try to attack and be in the day's breakaway. It's the type of rider I am and often I succeed in being in the break. In the first and third stage it was not so difficult though I didn't feel very good on the first stage. However, I did take the points so that was good," Veuchelen commented.
During the second stage with start and finish in Breda the experienced Belgian rider attentively took points for the combativity jersey as well. On the third day Veuchelen was at the front yet again. "It's good publicity for our team, of course."
Veuchelen is now second in the combativity classification and by taking bonus seconds he moved up to tenth in the overall ranking.
“I want to try and be in the break again but it won't be so easy in the upcoming days. However, I want to try to also get a good result on the day. The combativity jersey would be a nice prize," he concludes.
In the sprint finals Roy Jans was the designated rider for Wanty-Groupe Gobert. The Belgian sprinter finished 12th, 8th and 10th respectively.
“I can't be completely happy because I had hoped for top five. Wednesday this would have absolutely been possible because I was really well-positioned. In Ardooie I was 8th through those tricky turns but then they came from behind and I was boxed in a little," Jans says.
According to sports director Hilaire Van Der Schueren the Wanty-Groupe Gobert team will have plenty of opportunities in the upcoming days.
“We still have the ambition to ride for a top ten in the overall classification and to achieve this we have to do damage control in the time trial. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday there are stages that suit us well. With riders like Marcato, Leukemans, Gasparotto but also Baugnies and Backaert we have several aces to play every day. And then we have Veuchelen who does well in the combativity ranking," Van Der Schueren concludes.
After further examinations in the Herentals hospital it was diagnosed that Mirko Selvaggi did not suffer a broken collarbone in the first stage of the Eneco Tour. It was only a fissure. The surgery was cancelled and Selvaggi has returned home where he will resume training very soon.
Holger SIEVERS 56 years | today |
Chun Te CHIANG 40 years | today |
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Tom DERNIES 34 years | today |
André VITAL 42 years | today |
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