Circuit Cycliste Sarthe – Verbrugghe – Luck was not on our side –

THE ANALYSIS

Rik Verbrugghe, sporting manager for IAM Cycling, worked alongside Lionel Marie as a directeur sportif for the team at the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe. At the end of the final stage, the Belgian Verbrugghe made his assessment of the race: “At this race, luck just wasn’t on our side,” Verbrugghe believed. “Our goal was to win a stage, and if possible take the overall victory as well. And although we were close to it every day, we never managed to achieve either of our goals. A place on the second step of the podium for Jérôme Coppel is a great result, but that doesn’t erase the fact there were no victories. We were very close several times. And on the second to last stage, we did everything we could to close the gap to the overall leader, Marc Fournier (FDJ). But there also we had no luck. After putting in his attack, Mathias Frank had a flat and had to chase back up to the group of favorites again. But that ride and his 7th place in the overall do prove that he is in good shape.”

THE STATEMENT

“The team showed itself well throughout the week. We were always there in the mix of the action, but we just missed out on any victories,” Jérôme Coppel explained. A prime example of this is evident in the fact that the Frenchman missed out on the victory in the individual time trial by only 35 hundredths of a second.   “The defeat in the time trial was hard to accept, but that’s sport. And I can believe that second place in the time trial and second place in the overall is pretty good, even if the victory was so close. We tried everything, but in the end it was not quite enough. Marc Fournier, who surprised us by winning the first stage by over two minutes, and his team had more luck than we did this time.”

THE SPRINTER

Matteo Pelucchi. The Italian sprinter took second place on Wednesday morning and third place in today’s final stage, grabbing two podiums for the race. “I’d like to thank the whole team. They have helped me a lot in my sprints. Unfortunately, I could not repay them with a victory,” Pelucchi explained. The Italian was lucky, though. After crashing in the first stage, he underwent some medical check-ups at the hospital; he was luckily able to continue on the second stage. “I was fortunate, and I feel good. I am in good shape, and am looking forward to the next race.”

THE NUMBER

6 – the total number of podium places IAM racked up at the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe over the week. IAM Cycling riders were on the podium in the stages five times, and then Jérôme Coppel’s second place in the overall garnered yet another place. Breaking it down, Pelucchi took two podiums, Holst Enger sprinted to a podium position of his own, and then in the time trial, Coppel and Brändle each missed out on the victory by the slimmest of margins, taking second and third, respectively, on the stage.

Race Pictures – La Sarthe / Elisa Haumesser