Trek-Segafredo gives textbook leadout in a rain-soaked opening stage in the Belgium/Netherlands tour.
Trek-Segafredo’s performance in the sprint ending of stage one at the Binckbank Tour was as perfect as it gets. From the final 10 kilometers when the team already positioned Edward Theuns at the front to the final meters there was nothing to improve on, and Theuns was deposited, and had a clear run to the line, with 150 meters to go.
The team’s performance was seamless, but no one could stop the speedy Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) from snatching the win in the last moment, leaving the team so close to and so deserving of a victory they could taste it, but cycling can be cruel like that.
I am super proud and happy with how the team worked today. It was an incredible leadout and we could not have done it any better. We went into pole position into the last straight, and already before, in the last five kilometers, I was always easy in the wheels of the guys, and we were always under control in the front of the bunch.
Alex Frame and Matteo Moschetti led the way in the early going, and the powerful engines of Alex Kirsch and Mads Pedersen took over the reins in the last kilometers. The team’s strength and prowess helped Theuns come close to pulling off his first win since 2017 when he won stage 4 of the Binckbank Tour, also with Trek-Segafredo.
It was a perfect leadout, they all did a good job, Moschetti to Kirsch and Pedersen in the real finale, it was amazing. So I am a bit disappointed and sad for the guys that I could not finish it off with a win. It would have been a brilliant performance and I think the right reward for how the team worked.
The second place in a rainy and stressful stage leaves the team brimming with confidence for the rest of the week, from the sprints in the first stages to the harder, hillier stages likable to mini-classics in the final days.
In the end, Sam Bennett came over me with like 20 meters to go. It was a headwind so it was not easy to keep the speed. But I am satisfied with the day; I feel my form is really, really good and I think it's a good start to the week. We can continue in this way, we are working well together, and I think - and hope - we can get a stage win and a good GC with Fabio (Felline) this week.
