News – James Shaw 4th in Danny Jonckheere Mem

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James Shaw of Lotto Soudal was 4th in the Mémorial Danny Jonckheere in Oudenburg Belgium on Wednesday

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News – James Shaw 4th in Danny Jonckheere Mem
(article brought to you by James Shaw’s coach, Trainsharp)

TrainSharp Inspire Talent coached Lotto Soudall rider James Shaw rode to a really strong 4th place in the Mémorial Danny Jonckheere in Oudenburg Belgium on Wednesday.

Mémorial Danny Jonckheere, Oudenburg Belgium James Shaw 4th

Photo credit: Nieuwsblad.be

Here is a report from James on the race:

“We arrived in Oudenberg at 11 am Wednesday morning. It was a fairly mild morning with a hint of rain in the air but luckily this held off until the journey home. As we arrived and signed on, we realised there was a really strong wind that would play a critical part in the race.

On the start line, we had a moment silence for Danny Jonckheere. The race began at 2pm and to begin with, the race held together. It was all rolling along nicely until about 30km where the first move of the race broke away. Twenty two riders including myself and fellow Lotto Soudal rider Michael Goolaerts.

We sat in the wheels and saved our legs and let the race unfold. The group worked well and quickly put time into the peloton. As the race went on, the wind and conditions began to take its toll. With 110km behind us, a group of six riders quickly joined by myself managed to break away.

Within 3 km, we had 45 seconds on the group we were previously riding in and we managed to pull a maximum gap of a minute. It then hovered between a minute and 50 second for the next 45km.

The group rode really efficiently allowing us to keep the gap and maintain out speed. After 3 hour and 25 minutes of racing we entered the final 5km with 55sec on the chasing group now down to roughly 8 riders. A few riders tried to play a bit of cat and mouse by missing turns and putting in a few cheeky attacks, but I kept my cool and saved my legs.

Before we knew it, we had entered the final kilometre still as a group of seven. I didn’t fancy my chances in a sprint finish so with 600 meters to go I tried attacking to see if I could stall the group into letting me have five seconds that I could hold to the line.

This was not to be and I was caught with 300 meters to go, I pushed on to the line in 4th place and as the sprint opened I couldn’t pass any riders in front but I was able to hold off any rider trying to come past. I finished 4th having also won two bonus sprints during the race.

I felt I performed well and I can add to this form I am gaining for the upcoming races, next on the list GP de la Mange this Sunday.

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