ProTeam Lotto–Intermarché looks back on Tour Down Under with mixed, but positive feelings

It was a week of extremes in Australia. On the one hand, there was the heavy crash involving Jonas Rutsch and Lennert Van Eetvelt in the stage to Uraidla. That stage should have suited Van Eetvelt well, with the climb of Corkscrew, but unfortunately things went wrong. Both Rutsch and Van Eetvelt were forced to abandon the race. Rutsch is recovering from his road rash in Australia and, if everything continues to go well, is set to start the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race next Sunday. Van Eetvelt returned home, the next two Australian races were not on his schedule anyway, and is now focusing on his next goals.

Taco Van der Hoorn also returned home. Taco Van der Hoorn was also part of the Australian selection, but unfortunately was unable to start the race. He experienced too much knee pain during the preparations in Australia. The necessary examinations were already carried out on site, after which it was decided as a precaution to end the Australian campaign and start a specific rehabilitation program at home.

Despite the setbacks, sports director Pieter Vanspeybrouck looks back positively on the Australian block so far. “A lot happened, but overall I take away a positive feeling from the Tour Down Under,” he says. “This was the first time many riders raced together. We travelled to Australia a week in advance, and there you could see the drive and togetherness grow day after day, reconnaissance after reconnaissance. I saw a strong group of riders who were willing to work for each other.”

That immediately resulted in a seventh place for Lionel Taminiaux in stage 1 and an eighth place for Matthew Fox in the third stage. “What Fox, racing here in front of his home crowd, showed is very promising. He reads the race well, positions himself perfectly and is a real team player. An eighth place in a WorldTour race for a neo-pro… that’s impressive. On top of that, I saw how the group was able to quickly reset after that unfortunate crash. We set new goals, adjusted our tactics and were able to race more freely. Baptiste Veistroffer made it into the breakaway in the penultimate stage and held on until two kilometres from the finish. Great to see all of that.”

Next Thursday, the Surf Coast Classic is still on the program Down Under, followed by racing in Geelong on Sunday at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

Picture: PhotoNews