It was a repeat performance from Team Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff on Wednesday when the Norwegian fast man took the sprint from the front to make it back-to-back wins in Belgium.
- I must really thank my team today. I did not feel so strong but in the end they delivered me perfectly and I could take it home. It was quite technical coming into the end and I lost Jacopo a little bit so I was on Sacha Modolo’s wheel and could start from his wheel. I was leading from the front for a long time and no one could come around so it was a nice victory. I knew it was a hard race today and there would not be many fresh legs at the end. I will try to keep the jersey but the real goal is on Sunday, - said Alexander Kristoff, referring to Ronde van Vlaanderen.
Rounding out the stage 2 podium were Elia Viviani (Sky) and Shane Archbold of Bora-Argon 18.
Kristoff brings the tenth team win to Team Katusha. He also chalks up his seventh personal victory of the 2015 season, plus three other top-3 finishes, demonstrating his racing consistency thus far. With the 10-second time bonuses helping to widen the gap, Kristoff wears the leader’s jersey by 16-seconds to Stijn Devolder (Trek Factory Racing) and 17-seconds to Lars Bak of Lotto-Soudal. His advantage widens significantly to almost one minute for general classification hopefuls, which bodes well for Kristoff’s chances of earning the overall race win.
- Kristoff is the winning type and for him the race is never over until the finish line. That’s so nice to see in a rider. I also appreciate the work of the team for him. They are functioning 100% together as a group and it is a pleasure for them to ride for Alex. He will work to keep the jersey now, especially in tomorrow morning’s road stage. For the time trial we will see if he can do a nice time trial. I know Alex – he will fight for every second, - said team director Torsten Schmidt.
Wednesday’s stage 2 in Three Days of De Panne was a long 217,2 km from Zottegem to Koksijde. A series of small climbs were part of the profile midway through the course, but wind was the primary obstacle facing the riders today as once again it made for aggressive racing with many breaks and splits in the peloton. The final break of three were swept up in the closing kilometers as the sprinters made their way to the front for the group gallop.
Thursday brings a double-dose of cycling fun with an early road stage of 111,4 km in De Panne, followed by an afternoon time trial at 14,2 km in Tijdrit that will close out the 2015 Driedaagse De Panne – Koksijde.
Photo credit: (c) Tim De Waele
