SPORTS
Klemme second in final An Post Ras stage
Baku, May 26 (AZERTAC). Daniel Klemme finished second in the final stage of the An Post Ras, winning the bunch sprint. He topped off the fine performance by the Synergy Baku Cycling Project at the race in Ireland, which saw the team take two stage wins and the King of the Mountains jersey, and a final fifth place on GC.
The final stage, 134 km from Newbridge to Skerries, saw a group get away, this time without Synergy Baku. Davide Ballerini (Team Italy Idea 2010 ASD) was the only one able to stay away, winning the stage. Klemme led the field over the finish line only 38 seconds later.
Synergy Baku was evident throughout the whole race, finishing in the top six on every stage. Klemme was third in the first stage, as well as second in the final stage. Chris Schweizer was fourth on the fifth stage, and ended the race as the team’s highest ranked rider, in fifth place.
The team’s two Austrians were the stars, though. Jan Sokol won the third stage, soloing in as the only surviver of an escape group only seconds ahead of the chasing peloton. Unfortunately he was struck down by the intestinal illness which swept through the race and could not start the next stage.
Markus Eibegger finished in the top six four times, standing on the top step of the podium on stage six. He won that mountaintop finish as part of a escape group. Along the way he picked up a number of mountain points, and the next day made sure to be in the breakaway again, where he again picked up enough points to secure the overall King of the Mountain jersey.
Team manager David McQuaid praised the riders both as individuals and as a team, saying that while the team’s accomplishment was good, the race proved something more. “The Ras is one of the very few UCI races open for Continental teams which runs eight days.
A race that long and over difficult terrain can show you a lot about your team and riders. Losing Sokol midweek was unfortunate, but throughout the whole race, this team really rode as a team, as professionals, and as riders who belong on this squad. This is as important as being on the podium. I’m happy, and this bodes well for the next races.”