25 May 2016
IAM Cycling
THE PERFORMANCE
By Reto Hollenstein. The tall Swiss rider took third in the prologue behind Wout Van Aert (Crelan) and Tony Martin (Etixx – Quick Step). If someone had told me this morning that I would finish third, I would have been very happy to do that, Reto Hollenstein admitted. But that the victory escaped me by just four seconds, I want to say that I really could have won. If I had taken even just one turn faster, that could have made the difference. But I prefer not to have regrets. I know that I gave my maximum.
THE TRAINING PLAN
I spent the past ten days at an altitude training camp, Hollenstein said. I have been working with Marcello Albasini. But honestly it is too early to feel the real benefits of the altitude. This is also why I am delighted with this third place. The Tour of Switzerland is one of my main goals. I think I will be able to reach my peak form in time for that.
THE ANALYSIS
Rik Verbrugghe explained: Reto had a great race, IAM Cycling sports manager Verbrugghe emphasized. But the whole team in addition to Reto had a great day. Martin Elmiger took sixth, Dries Devenyns was twelfth, Aleksejs Saramotins came in eighteenth, and Oliver Naesen was twenty-third. And the differences were only seconds, so we have a lot of nice options for the general classification. Wout Van Aert will undoubtable be the man to beat this week. But we will try to exploit our surplus at the top of the leader table to make a surprise.
THE ANECTDOTE
Wout Van Aert won the stage by averaging 52,427km/h. That was enough to win the prologue but not enough to dethrone Rik Verbrugghe from his pedestal. The Belgian who was a professional himself still holds the record prologue average speed of 58,874km/h.
Pictures – IAM Cycling
