Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux concluded the week of national championships with the best harvest in its history. After two time trial titles (Girmay, Taaramäe), a silver medal (Peák) and two bronze medals (Peák, van der Hoorn), the World Team was represented in the road race of eight different countries this Sunday.
Alexander Kristoff and Sven Erik Bystrøm participated for the seventh time as a duo to the Norwegian championships and they did a perfect race by joining a 24 rider breakaway with more than 100 kilometer to go.In the end of a challenging race, they sprinted for the victory in a group of eleven riders. The former European champion took the silver medal home, with Bystrøm finishing just outside the top ten.
« I'm proud about the way Sven Erik and I raced today. We showed an agressive racing style and after 70 kilometer we distanced the peloton with a strong rider group. But Uno-X Team, which was at the start with fifteen riders, managed to keep the gap under one minute thirty. The climbs were not long, but there was no flat section, so it was a challenging day in the front. With two laps to go the peloton with many fresh riders joined us, so it all started over again. Rasmus Tiller was one of these fresh riders from the peloton and he came from the back with a lot of speed in the final kilometer. I had to start my sprint with 700 meter to go to close the gap, but I didn't manage to pass him. Second was the best possible result today. It's never nice to finish second when you sprint for the victory. However, I can be happy with this silver medal, because national championships are never easy to manage. I worked hard during this race and I felt good, so I'm looking forward to my next race. »
Credits: Tor Helge Skretting & Elisabeth Almhjell
