Day: May 31, 2015

Edvald Boasson Hagen would show his class at the final Tour des Fjords stage and took an emphatic stage victory. Edvald was part of a late 4 man escape and the Norwegian star was able to out sprint Daryl Impey (Orica-Greenedge) and Marco Haller (Katusha) for his first victory of the season. As the race hit the final climb of the day, Pig Hill, Edvald would put in a strong attack from the peloton that only Impey, Haller and Sven Erik Bystrom (Katusha) could match. The quartet would catch and pass the early 5 rider break of the day on the steep 20% slopes of.

The Garmin Velothon Berlin came down to the expected bunch sprint and it was Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant-Alpecin) who was fastest on the day. Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon 18) would be 2nd, just ahead of Zico Waeytens (Giant-Alpecin) in 3rd. It would be a blanket finish at the line in Berlin and our Gerald Ciolek was only a bike length from the victory. The results however had Gerald placed in 6th position on the day. This came after a good team performance by MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung, keeping Gerald protected during the course of the race. There was an early break of 4 riders who were able to.

MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung will take to the start of the Garmin Velothon Berlin single day UCI 1.1 race later today. The 174km event is one that usually suits the sprinters and MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung will have a sprint specific team at the start line. With only 6 rider teams, it will be hard for a single team to control proceedings for the entire duration of the event. There will be a number of key sprinters from different teams hoping to take the spoils today though and so a combined effort should see the race come back together on the final 8 finishing circuits around Berlin..