Sprinters stars in Astana
There was a somewhat surprising result in Kazakhstan this week as the sprinters dominated and Julius Delavignette (Team airik) won the Astana GP. Normally a race for the cobbles specialists, sprinter Delavignette managed to stay with the leading group and then outsprint them for the line. Very much the quiet and reserved man of the Team airik squad, Delavignette’s surprised expression as he crossed the line was a cameraman’s dream, and the image was plastered over back pages across Europe. The talented Belgium rider has had a successful if unspectacular career so far and perhaps this will be the start of something.
Dan Korošec (Team iPower) came 2nd with Steffe Van Leempten (Bajen Belfast) 3rd. The main favourites and cobbler specialists finished outside the top 3 with defending champion Jari Fredriksson, Team RI coming in 5th.
Sign up was fast for this Thursday’s Helsinki GP and the race sees a strong line up with all the top sprinting teams in attendance. Bookies are making last year’s champion, Markus Skjoedt (radu), a massive outsider to make it a double at 50-1. Hanke Vibbard (Bajen Belfast), Jens Waesbergen (Cyklista) and Shigeki Tezuka (Team Atlantic) are the current favourites.
Korošec living up to Young Gun status
Young Gun Dan Korošec has very much lived up to his Young Gun status and is already building himself a fine list of results. The Slovenian youngster has had a dream week which has propelled Team iPower into the top 20 elite. The week started with an expected and dominating victory in the Division 2 Classic, the Lappi Sea GP. He then followed this with a 5th place in the Grasse – Toulon Classic (won by Jaroslav Brychta of North Shropshire Wheelers), before completing the week with a 2nd in the Astana GP. This follows stage victories in both the Volta and the Cymru Taith in a season that already includes 7 podium positions. The team now qualifies automatically for the forthcoming Germany Tour and Korošec will be setting his eyes on the coveted Green Jersey.
The | | Slovenian sprinter has been a revelation in his rookie year and were it not for one result on Day 88 of last season, would be in the running for Best Breakthrough rider of Season 12. The 23 year is an intimidating presence in the peleton; standing at over 1m 90 and build like an arm-wrestler, he is hard to stop once he winds up the sprint. Other sprinters have likened a group sprint with Korošec like a bowling ball knocking down pins, with riders being budged aside to get to the front. Team iPower manager is certainly happy with him, ‘I knew Korosec was good, but I didn't think he would give me this many results’.
The big names line up for Germany
With only hours to go until the sign up for the Germany Tour, the ‘big one’ of the OCM season, pundits are trying to second guess which teams will enter. One team that will definitely be there is Fairfield Flyers Cycling, who will be entering a strong team to back defending champion Vernon Kings. Sign up regulations were imposed last season meaning that the top 20 have a 24 hour window to sign up. FFC have been on the cusp of the top 20 and there were doubts whether they would qualify automatically. However, such speculation is now academic as the team now lie 19th and will probably be one of the first teams to sign up. In any case, OCM race organisers confirmed previously that the top 3 from last year’s tour will automatically qualify.
Other teams to confirm their attendance are Ursus RT, who will be hoping Nico Holt can end his Germany hoodoo, Team iPower, Essex Tour winners Cyklista, Team airik, Siporex, Bajen Belfast, Team iPower and CCFC who will be hoping Giovanny Enrico can follow up his Perm success. Sign up is also expected from skils, FFL, Equipo Easy On and Team Atlantic, who will inevitably be sending Rodney ‘Mr Germany’ Hodgson to win his 4th successive Sprint Title.
The teams ranked from 21 – 30 will be crossing their fingers that at least a few of the top 20 will not sign up. This will especially be the case for Team Whalers who will hope that they their two stars, Solomon Henschel and Viggo Monsen will be able to attend. It will certainly be a tense 24 hours for the American outfit.
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