Breakaway attempts fall on hard ground as TNN look ahead to stage four in Denmark
12 August 2021
Sports Director Gennady Mikhaylov:
“We had one objective for today and that was to get in the breakaway. We knew it was going to be a hard task and we knew that there was going to be a hard competition for the breakaway and we also knew it was a very fast start due to the proximity of the first intermediate at sprint.”
“Nevertheless, all our guys tried their hardest to either get in the breakaway or force the breakaway move.
Repeated attacks take a big toll on the body and its resources. Unfortunately, each move was brought back by the bunch. By the time our guys had the time to recover to go again, a seven-man move has already formed.”
“David gave it his all on the Changing Diabetes climb and after creating a small gap was caught by the bunch just before the top of the climb.”
“The race was very intense up until the difficult final circuit. At which point the whole field split to pieces. David did well to maintain his position in the main bunch. The rest of the guys rode together to show their team spirit and conserve energy to go again tomorrow.”
David Lozano:
“It was really hard mentally today, because the objective was to be in the breakaway and despite our efforts, we didn’t make it. I attacked really hard on the first KOM and gained a small gap, but I was caught before the top of the climb and expended way too much energy too early to go again so soon.”
“Sam, Umberto, Declan, Andrea, Peter, we all tried to go over those opening kilometers and I think we should be proud of how much we gave trying to get an attack going. But forming the breakaway isn’t always easy and today wasn’t our day to be out front.”
“We needed to adapt our strategy for the rest of the stage and all the guys helped me to stay in a decent position until the final circuits and from there it was all about hanging on. We need to recover for tomorrow now, it’s another important day for the team and for our sponsors Novo Nordisk and we are focused on showing them how much we appreciate their support.”
