A worn out Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) took second in the sprint for fourth place in the Tour of Flanders, being bested by Greg Van Avermaet of BMC Racing. Unfortunately for the young Slovak, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) had already decided the win ahead of Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini) and Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing) after the trio had escaped over the day’s final climb.
Having being hung up several times throughout the race, Sagan went on a solo chase as the three moved away, but previous efforts throughout the day had sapped his power and he eventually settled for the fifth place finish, 38 seconds behind the leading trio.
After the race, Sagan seemed pleased with his result, as well as another important experience in a Belgian Classic into the bank.
“It was a tough race from every point of view,” he admitted. “There were pitfalls on the way – I had a few mechanical problems and three times I had to chase back on. Then [I got caught behind] Van Summeren on the Paterberg 25 kilometers from the finish and it was more hard work to get back. These efforts inevitably affected my finale when Pozzato and Boonen went with Ballan, and I suffered.”
Sagan survived to the top of the final ascent of the Paterberg and set off in a time trial position in an attempt to catch the three strongmen. But his power ran short and he was eventually reeled in by the chasing group.
“I tried to catch my breath and then go for the comeback when the road flattened out,” he continued. “I knew it would be very hard, but I tried because there was not much agreement in the group. I did my best to win, and I struggled, but compared to 2011 I have taken a remarkable step forward. The experience of these Belgian races will be valuable in the future, I’m sure.”
Importantly, Sagan is still just 22 years of age. On that basis, a big Classics future appears to lie ahead.
Team NetApp: Schillinger and Schorn fly the flag
Team NetApp showed off early, thanking race organizers for their invitation with extra aggressiveness, as the only team with two riders in the day’s main break. Andreas Schillinger and Daniel Schorn went with the group and hung in until some of the bigger, steeper climbs did them in. It was an experience that team director Ralph Denk called positive.
“Taking part in the Tour of Flanders marks another milestone in Team NetApp’s history,” he stated. “We gave it our all in order to make a good showing.
“The lead group of the day pulled away 20 kilometers into the race, and we were represented in that group by Andreas Schillinger and Daniel Schorn. The two of them rode with the group all the way until the first crossing of the Oude Kwaremont, a total of 150 kilometers. That was a very strong performance by our two riders.”
Ag2R La Mondiale: Belletti in the breakaway
It was a quiet race for the French WorldTour team, which was able to place Manuel Belletti in the fifteen-man breakaway that escaped after ten kilometers of racing. While it was inevitably pulled back, Lloyd Mondory rode strongly for the team as the pace picked up.
Mondory was in good position with the leaders before appearing to put both wheels in the ditch, momentarily slowing him up and creating an instant gap. He would eventually come home 33rd, his team’s best placed rider.
“We started diminished, with only seven riders, but we fought with our guys,” team manager Julien Jurdie said. “There are still things to improve but the mood is good.”
Lampre-ISD: Experience and inexperience highlighted
Neo-pro Massimo Graziato made the breakaway in his debut Ronde van Vlaanderen, a move that was praised by his team director after the race. Team leader Daniele Righi crashed out, and only two team riders finished – Danilo Hondo was 34th and Manuele Mori was 68th.
“Our minimum goal was to be present at the beginning of the race,” team director Fabrizio Bontempi explained. “Bravo to Massimo then, his first experience in the Tour of Flanders. It was a reliable performance on the part of Hondo, who then just didn’t have much energy to fight with at the end.”
Saxo Bank: Anders Lund attacks again
After an impressive 200-kilometer attack in Gent-Wevelgem, Anders Lund was at it again for Saxo Bank in Flanders. He made it into the day’s early break with others such as Tyler Farrar (Garmin Barracuda), and rode strongly there.
Lund would eventually finish 103rd, and while it was Matteo Tossato who got the number one bib in place of the injured Nick Nuyens, it was Karsten Kroon who was best placed for the Danish squad, in 18th.
“Of course it’s a great experience to be out there and to find the right break again, and in a race like Flanders it is absolutely tremendous,” remarked Lund after the race. “It is kind of typical that a big break like today’s gets away early like we did, and we were able to find the right rhythm.”
With Paris-Roubaix next week, Lund sounded keen on trying a third breakaway in a row.
“I’m not racing again before Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix, and I guess there’s a bigger chance that a break will last until the finale,” Lund mused, perhaps dreaming about entering the Roubaix velodrome alone, with dirt in his teeth and his girlfriend waiting in the infield...