Just outside top 20 in Slovakia for Peron and Team Novo Nordisk

The first road stage of this years Okolo Slovenska/Tour of Slovakia unfolded in predictable style with an early breakaway going clear over the opening kilometers before a steady pursuit yielded first catch, then sprint for the front end of the peloton with Italian flyer Andrea Peron boxed in after the final roundabout and chasing for the top 20.

Andrea Peron(ITA):

“I felt a little better today, after last week’s travel form the US, back to Italy and then almost straight to Slovakia, I felt jaded when we arrived and pretty sluggish in yesterday’s prologue, but I started to loosen up as the stage went on.”

“It played out how we expected, and the guys did a good job of trying to help me throughout the stage, but I was boxed in and lost position after the final roundabout, so I came from too far back as the sprint kicked and it was too much ground to make up. I’m hoping that I continue to improve as the race goes on and we ride our way into a good stage result.”

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“We wanted to work for Andrea today to give him a chance in the sprint because the final really suited him, but the road furniture left him out of position at the end and he had a big job to try and get back in. There are more chances to come over the next few days, but we also want to up the road in the breakaway. So, tomorrow we need to be switched on from the first kilometer.”