| BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS SECURE TEAM CLASSIFICATION IN CATALUNYA AS MOHORIČ TAKES TOP TEN IN GENT-WEVELGEM |
| Bahrain Victorious secured the best overall team at the Volta a Catalunya with only three riders remaining in the race. |
| It was a challenging week for the team after Sonny Colbrelli and Jack Haig left the race after only completing the opening stage. At the same time, race leader Wout Poels who had high GC hopes was forced on the final day due to stomach issues. |
| The team did manage to take 3 podium places, with Colbrelli once and Bauhaus twice. The overall resilience from Pernsteiner, Teuns and Buitrago also helped claim team GC. |
| Franco Pellizotti recapped the week: “Overall, it’s been a tough week after the opening stage with Sonny. We also then lost Jack, but the team managed to fight on. |
| Wout was in good shape and, unfortunately, could not continue in the final due to stomach issues. We leave this race with three-second places and the team GC, so considering everything, it’s a good result, and the guys are showing good condition ahead of the next races.” |
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| Meanwhile, in Belgium, Mohorič continued to show his strong form in the Flanders Classics, finishing 9th at Gent-Wevelgem. The 249km course that took on plenty of climbs saw the public out in full force, which has been missing over the past two seasons. |
| The spectators were not disappointed as the race swayed between sprinters and pure classic riders. A breakaway formed of 7 riders but was controlled by the peloton until a strong group of attackers, including Matej Mohorič, caught the escapees approaching the second of the three gravel Plugstreets. |
| Attacks and counterattacks were flying in the final 60km of the race. Until the decisive move that saw 4 riders move away after the final climb of the Kemmelberg and battled it out for the sprint with Girmay (Intermaché-Wanty Gobert) taking the win. Matej Mohorič was part of the chasing group, finishing 8 seconds behind the quartet and sprinting to take a top ten result. |
Matej Mohorič: “It was a hard race but not hard enough to make a bigger selection. I was hoping we could stay away after the first time we climbed the Kemmelberg, but the peloton caught us back. I did a counterattack but was not successful. The next move went away, and the 4 guys stayed away until the finish.
We tried our best. Fred (Wright) was also there in the finale, and we tried to pull in the front of the peloton to try to bring them back, but they were strong and stayed away.
I managed to take a top ten result. I’m happy with that, especially because my legs are feeling very good, and it’s a good sign before next week’s Tour of Flanders that will be my next race and big aim”. |
| (All pictures can be used for editorial and non-commercial usages only and are copyright @Sprintcycling @TeamBahrainVictorious) |
