News – Cancellara wins Stage 2 in Oman

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Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) sprinted to victory on the 195 kilometre stage two at the Tour of Oman on Wednesday.

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News – Cancellara wins Stage 2 in Oman

Team Press Release
The stage, which started at Al Hazm Castle, ended with the three-kilometre Al Jissah climb that topped out five kilometres from the finish. An attack by Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) drew out the strongest climbing legs at the crest of the final decisive climb, but did little more than stretch out the top 15 or so riders.

OmanStage2_fabian_wins

On the fast descent that followed, 19 riders regrouped and stormed into the final kilometre. At the end of a long, hot day it was an on-form Cancellara that powered to the gradual uphill win, leaving Valverde and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC)to the minor placings respectively.

“I am really super happy and satisfied about this win. It’s a deserved win and gives a lot of confidence for us,” said a clearly elated Cancellara. “We were already good in Qatar but missed a few occasions and never had the result, and this confirms everything. We did a really good meeting yesterday to wake up and motivate everyone again, and today everyone did great”.

“Today is the benefit of everyone doing his job, and that allows me to stay calm during the race; now we got the win and that is really amazing.”

Julian Arredondo also finished in 6th place; he was the first rider to crest the Al Jissah climb, while Cancellara paced himself not far behind. With three BMC riders in the leading group of 19, the situation played to Cancellara’s favor.

“BMC had three riders there and that was good. They pushed the pace on the downhill, and controlled it to the finish so there was no attacking,” added Cancellara. “I was a bit scared of attacks since I had only one push left and that was for the sprint.

“It was 40 degrees again today, and so dry, and at mid-way I suffered a lot. But then when we reached the coast it changed from dry to more humidity, and suddenly everything went better. I went to the car, received some things to help me cool down and refresh, and I was race-ready again”.

“The boys helped me a lot today. They were always around me, they helped me before the climb, after the climb, and Julian helped in the climb…he was able to follow the best and I was just behind. It was a good situation for us, and then I knew that I only needed to keep my rhythm in the climb.”

The Tour of Qatar was a difficult race this year, and Trek Factory Racing arrived to Oman with a desire to better Cancellara’s second place in the stage three time trial. “Yesterday in the meeting I told the team I wanted to go for the stage win today. I had focused on a few stages here to really race, not just try a bit, but really focus on the racing. Then I got a cold on the way here from Qatar and I was a bit down”.

“But I told myself that I still have good legs, I had good rest, and the team really rallied around me. It all worked out today,” said Cancellara. “The whole team worked hard for this, already in Qatar, and the level in Qatar and Oman is higher than previous years. With this win in the pocket, with [Bob] Jungels’ win, with Bauke Mollema’s second place, it shows that we are on the good way this year. It shows what we did last year was just the beginning and this year we are on schedule to build on that.

“We also have news that Fabio Silvestre was second in Spain today and this is great. I think it shows the team has done a great winter. It’s good for us, the team, and for Trek our sponsor, all our sponsors. Of course I still want to go for more. I am still working hard towards what I want to achieve – I am performance focused.”

“We tried to do a good lead out for me,” Van Avermaet said. “But maybe it was not fast enough. With 200 meters to go, Daniel Moreno (Team Katusha) passed me and I tried to catch his wheel. And then I started my sprint full gas with 200 meters to go. I thought at that moment I could win the stage. But in the last few meters, Fabian passed me. That is a big disappointment for me because I was thinking of the win and winning for the team.”

Alejandro Valverde: “It’s quite an important step, and though I came really close to winning again, the group of rivals for the overall has got reduced, I took those bonus seconds and, looking at the rivals I had into the sprint, you’ve got to stay content with such a result. Tinkoff-Saxo was pushing with five riders in search for the day’s break, we cooperated with them a little bit in the beginning and at the finale, after the first climb, we took command before the foot of the last climb. There were four of five riders going away and I jumped across with Van Garderen, but many others came behind and it all came down to a sprint.

“Feelings during these first two stages in Oman have been a little strange; I wouldn’t say they were bad, because you can’t say you’re bad when you’re up front, but it’s true that strong heat, the four days of stop between Qatar and this race… I don’t feel perfectly well. We’ll see what happens on Friday – it will be a completely different finish and the way to tackle it will not be the same, either.”

Result
1. Fabian Cancellara, Trek Factory Racing 4:36:46
2. Alejandro Valverde, Movistar Team
3. Greg Van Avermaet, BMC Racing Team
4. Filippo Pozzato, Lampre – Merida
5. Peter Sagan, Tinkoff-Saxo
6. Julian Arredondo Moreno, Trek Factory Racing
7. Rafal Majka, Tinkoff-Saxo
8. Daniel Moreno Fernandez, Team Katusha
9. Andriy Grivko, Astana Pro Team
10. Cameron Meyer, Orica GreenEdge

22. Tom Boonen, Etixx-Quick Step @0.46
38. Rui Alberto Costa, Lampre – Merida
44. Vincenzo Nibali, Astana Pro Team
47. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver, Team Katusha @0.55
48. Philip Deignan, Team Sky @1:15
49. Leopold Konig, Team Sky
58. Alexander Kristoff, Team Katusha @ 1.31
64. Zakkari Dempster, Bora-Argon 18 @ 2.46
107. Adam Blythe, Orica GreenEdge @ 8.23
141. Sam Bennett, Bora-Argon 18 @ 14.02

OVERALL
1. Fabian Cancellara, Trek Factory Racing 8:22:14
2. Alejandro Valverde, Movistar Team @ 0:04
3. Patrick Konrad, Bora-Argon 18 @:05
4. Greg Van Avermaet, BMC Racing Team @ 06
5. Peter Sagan, Tinkoff-Saxo @10

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