 BMC Racing Team make the Top Five [26-06-17 09:08 by staff GoNBike.com] | ||
BMC Racing Team Make the Top Five in Belgium, Italy and Ireland 19 riders from BMC Racing Team's roster were in action across the various national road race championships in Europe on Sunday and in addition to the clean sweep in Switzerland, top five results were secured in Belgium, Ireland and Italy. In Belgium, neo pro Nathan Van Hooydonck impressed in his third race with BMC Racing Team to claim fifth place in the longest race of his career. After multiple breakaways were brought back during the 233km race, Van Hooydonck found himself as part of a five-rider leading group with one lap to go. Van Hooydonck hung on to claim an impressive fifth place behind some of the most-experienced riders in the Belgian peloton. In Ireland, defending champion Nicolas Roche claimed fourth place behind solo winner Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team). Roche was marked from the beginning of the road race, during which time the race situation changed with almost every lap. Roche bridged to the leading group on multiple occasions before a final group of three riders went clear on the last lap, from which Mullen broke clear to take the win. Roche won the sprint behind for fourth place. In Italy, the day's breakaway was pulled back with 36km to go and Damiano Caruso was eventually part of a four-rider group sprinting for podium positions behind solo winner Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Cycling Team). Aru went clear in the final 16km and the quartet with Caruso formed the chase behind, eventually crossing the line 40 seconds behind with Caruso securing fourth place. Quotes from the Finish Line Nathan Van Hooydonck: "For me, it was a really hard race. I never thought about being in the front with these guys. In the end on the final lap, I started to feel the kilometers because it was the longest race I had ever done. My legs were really tired and I told the guys in the front that I was not able to pull anymore. They understood and Valerio Piva told me that the group was coming closer behind up so I didn't want to give up my top five place. When the other four attacked on the last cobble section I was there but I was dropped a bit. I came back and kept riding full gas until I made it to the finish line. It was my third race with BMC Racing Team and this result gives me a boost." Nicolas Roche: "There was not one minute when we stopped, it was just attack after attack. There was never really a group riding or a proper breakaway, it was just riders coming back and riders attacking and then groups coming back together. It was quite a rolling circuit and there was a strong headwind one side and a strong tailwind the other side, so it was hard for small groups and the bigger groups were closing the gaps. I was a bit disappointed but there was not much I could do. Ten years ago the level of cycling was a lot weaker in Ireland and now everyone is really competitive. This year it was a very, very hard race but I'm happy for cycling in Ireland. The level of the racing was very competitive and it was a great race." Damiano Caruso: "The pace was really high going onto the final lap before Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team) attacked. He was really strong on the last climb, and that's where he made the difference. I tried to follow him, but he was just too strong for me today. I was in a small group chasing behind, but in the end, there was nothing we could do. I'm a little bit disappointed because I lost a spot on the podium in the final sprint, but my condition and shape are still good. I came into today after a big week of racing at the Tour de Suisse, and I was really happy to see that my form was still there and now I am looking forward to racing at the Tour de France." ::BMC Racing Team - Press Relese:: | ||
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