Matteo Pelucchi: «It’s more a victory for the whole team than for me alone»

It appeared that the IAM Cycling riders knew the Mallorca roads perfectly.  It seems their recent training camp on the Balearic Islands roads was well spent and beneficial. Matteo Pelucchi would be the last rider to say otherwise.  For the first race of the year in Europe, the Italian rider was able to master the peloton in the bunch sprint despite the fact that Pelucchi was facing some of the greatest sprinters in the world such as Greipel, Bouhanni, Rojas and Viviani (all of whom finish in the top 10).

Pelucchi, who played the part of dark horse in this first race of the year, along with the rest of his IAM Cycling teammates, had a clear objective. 

“Everyone had to work for Matteo,” Rubens Bertogliati, IAM Cycling’s directeur sportif said, “And we saw the results; I think the instructions were followed to perfection.  The race took place on a circuit that was covered three times.  In the final round, there were gaps in the pack and I think that helped us to position Matteo.  It is ‘easier’ to fight for the win when there are 100 riders instead of 180.  Then the team did a great job to get Matteo in the best possible position just before the bend 500 meters from the line.”

Pelucchi, as the day’s winner, was able to confirm Bertogliati’s assessment.

“The other teams tried to break the pack up but we were vigilant and were always well placed in the front.  I really must thank the team because they had complete confidence in me.  Today is a victory for the whole team, not only a victory for me.”