Three down three to go in Croatia

Sports director Gennady Mikhaylov:

“We saw the first movements from the GC riders today, it was a regular pace until the final 20kilometers when we hit the first real climb of the race so far and then the protagonists started to show themselves and the speed increased.”

“Although we tried to keep David and Andrea up there as long as possible, the tiredness kicked in and they lost contact halfway up the ascent. The group reformed somewhat on the descent, but the rest of the peloton was split, and Andrea and Sam were the first over the line for us with David and Filippo not too far behind.”

Andrea Peron:

“I couldn’t stay with the leaders today, they set a really fast pace up the climb and that’s where we fell back. We wanted to try and work for David and maybe myself if we could hold on for the sprint, but it was too punchy, too fast and I didn’t have the legs today.”

Hamish Beadle:

“I started to get some knee pain when I raced with the devo’s in the Czech Republic earlier this month. I saw the physio when I was back home in between racing, and I was feeling a lot better. Stage one I was buzzing. Then we started going uphill and going uphill pretty fast.”

“We’re professional bike riders and we want to race, I’m no different and even though I’m getting some pain from my left knee again, I want to work for the boys and finish this race. The staff are doing a great job of supporting us every day and the swannies are really working me over every night to give me every chance to recover for the next stage. Three down. Three to go.”