Amstel Gold Race – Mixed bag for IAM Cycling –

THE RECKONING

“Bad luck did not spare us,” Thierry Marichal confirmed. “Stef Clement crashed with just forty kilometers to go to the finish. He was immediately taken to the hospital in Maastricht. Jérôme Coppel also crashed a bit later in the race, but luckily he has nothing like the injuries Clement suffered. He just has a few scratches to show for his pains. These two incidents for IAM Cycling accurately reflect the level of nervousness that the whole race experienced.”

THE ANALYSIS

“Though this was hardly a super-positive day for the team, we did have a bright spot on account of Larry Warbasse,” Marichal, the Belgian directeur sportif, continued. “Finding his way into the breakaway was the best option for him this Sunday. It was also a big help to the team. And remember Oliver Naesen’s attack in the final section of the race. He certainly completed a strong classics campaign. That is a real source of satisfaction for the IAM Cycling team.”

THE ANIMATOR

Larry Warbasse. Finding his way into the day’s primary breakaway after forty kilometers of racing, the American rider proved to be a match for the difficult Dutch roads. “I’m happy with my day,” Warbasse, who comes from Michigan, explained. “We worked really well up front. Though the peloton never gave us much rope, we were able to stay away quite a long time. I felt great. When the peloton finally caught us, I then even tried to make a small attack on my own. I have no regrets. In this race, it sometimes pays to be at the front, ahead of the bunch. You can avoid crashing much more easily that way. I’m really sorry for Stef Clement. Aside from being an excellent rider, he is a really great road captain.”

THE UNLUCKY

Stef Clement. Victim of a crash on account of a loose water bottle, the Dutch rider was immediately taken to the hospital in Maastricht. Clement suffered a fracture to his right clavicle, which will require surgery.  He will be taken to University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) on Monday in order to undergo the operation.

THE WEATHER

Starting off under sunny skies in Maastricht, the peloton headed towards dark and threatening skies later in the race. “The rain really surprised some riders,” Thierry Marichal explained. “David Tanner suffered a cold snap during the day. Temperatures plummeted pretty quickly. That was certainly an important factor to the outcome of the race.”

THE CHANGE

In the interest of allowing Jérôme Coppel to recover properly after his crash on Sunday, the IAM Cycling sports management has decided that the French rider should not participate at the Flèche Wallonne, Wednesday, April 20th. Coppel will be replaced by Marcel Wyss.

Race Pictures – BettiniPhoto