Region Pays de la Loire Tour

The Region Pays de la Loire Tour started well for Team Novo Nordisk with Aussie Declan Irvine dancing his way into the early breakaway and racking up some bonus points and seconds before Matyas Kopecky sprinted to 12th in the finale.

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“We wanted to get Declan up the road today and try to get on the board with the intermediate sprints and gain some seconds which he did and did well. The bunch let the move go very early and they had no difficulties.”

“If we can do more of the same in the coming days, keep getting out front and scoring points in the sprints then we have a chance of a good result overall. There’s no really hilly stages and that suits us. 

“Matyas and Andrea worked well together all day and Andrea really showed his experience throughout the stage, shielding Matyas and guiding him into a good position for the sprint. He just couldn’t break out of the box there in the final, but we’ve had a good start today.”

Declan Irvine:

“Massimo and Gennady told me repeatedly this morning to get in the break and get some points and bonus seconds, we knew it was important and we’re happy we pulled it off. ”

“I was a little frustrated towards the end because maybe without the crosswind section where our lead really fell, we could maybe have stayed out front for the last sprint and that could have been three more seconds.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“Andrea was immense today. Absolute class. He looked after me perfectly and I’m very confident on his wheel at speed in the bunch. I was in a great position at the end, good legs, feeling the adrenaline…”

“But, it was a long and narrow finish and as the front slowed down some guys came from behind and I was closed down. In front and either side, so I never really got going. We’ll try again tomorrow and if we go like today then we will have a good chance.” 

Photo credits: @cassandradonne

Consistency is key and 2024 is following on almost seamlessly from 2023 for Matyas Kopecky and Team Novo Nordisk with the 21-year-old again in the mix for the top ten on stage two at the Region Pays de la Loire Tour, eventually finishing 14th out of a select  group of favorites.

An uneventful opening two thirds of the stage unwound in a controlled manner behind the breakaway before the GC teams lifted the pace into the opening circuits around Saumur and it was then that the action sparked.

Attacks split the front of the race inside the final 20km and with Kopecky well positioned on the wheels a strong group of ten set out for the line. More attacks followed from the lead group and on the last lap Coustiou (ARKEA) made his count and held out by seconds for a solo win with Kopecky thwarted by milimeters for what have been his sixth top ten of the season.

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“After we missed our first objective of getting in the breakaway again, we had to settle in until the cloaking circuits and then make sure we all worked as hard possible to position Matyas at the front for the inevitable attacks.”

“That part of the plan worked and if you look at the group he was in on the last two laps, it was packed full of favorites and he did a good job to show he belongs at the business end of races and came close to another top ten.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“I’m pretty stoked with our performance, the team were great all day again and morale is really high which can make all the difference and we’re going into each stage smiling and feeling confident.”

“Ok, the objective for me was a top ten, but to be in such a strong reduced group over the last two laps and fighting for the result is a positive sign. There were only big guns in there. I got dropped the last time up the climb, but made it back in and after the finish I was thinking ‘Damn! I should have gone with Coustiou when he attacked’ but who knows if I would have blown or made it.”

Photo credits: @cassandradonne

He’s getting closer every stage and todays third day of racing at the Region Pays de la Loire Tour was almost the one for Matyas Kopecky and Team Novo Nordisk with the 21-year-old Czech sprinter taking crossing the line in 11th after a some more punchy finishing circuits.

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“It was a very similar stage to yesterday in terms of profile and how it played it out and we put all our efforts into looking after Matyas until the finishing laps, which the guys did brilliantly. All working and showing great teamwork. He’s getting closer to the top ten and there’s one more chance tomorrow.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“To be totally honest it was a pretty straight forward stage today, relatively easy all day and then bang. The last two laps we started to speed up and immediately I started to feel some fatigue today.”

“The local lap was actually really hectic, technical and dangerous, so it was tense, and keep the eyes open every second. Going into the final I felt the legs were not super fresh after yesterday l, but I could still do an “ok” sprint. It was not ideal, but sometimes you have to handle the situation how it comes. I tried my best to pay off the hard work of teammates and were going to do what we can to get into the top ten on tomorrow’s last stage.”

Photo credits: @cassandradonne

Team Novo Nordisk concluded four days of fantastic racing at the Region pays de la Loire Tour today with an strong team performance and Czech starlet Matyas Kopecky 13th in the final sprint.

Four top 15 placings, 15th over all, two days in the white young rider jersey and second overall in the youth classification capped a good week for Kopecky and the team, with the all the guys deserving of applause after some moral boosting performances.

“The guys worked tirelessly and selflessly in support of Matyas throughou the race,” said Head Sports Director Massimo Podenzana. “They were organized, rode with discipline and from the first kilometers with Declan setting the tone by getting into the race’s first breakaway.”

“Our objective was the top ten, both stages and overall and we came very very, close only a few seconds out on GC and with the leaders every stage in the final. We’re starting to see a really good understanding developing between Andrea and Matyas, a nice blend of youth and experience and it’s great to see a partnership blossoming in real time.”

After some fatigue had started to set in on the spiky final laps on stage three, Kopecky again felt the burning muscles as the attacks started fly on the Le Mans circuits at the end of todays stage.

“I was feeling fine all day,” said Kopecky. “It was super easy and controlled, even the first couple of laps, but even at the slower pace you could tell the climb was steep and as the group reduced and the attacks started to come, I knew I didn’t have the legs.”

“I was kind of holding out a slight hope that some other teams may be able to bring the larders back, but it didn’t happen and we finished a few seconds back. Even without the top ten, we’re happy with how we’ve raced here. It’s a busy period we’re in and it feels great to be putting a string of results together and now I’ve worn a white youth jersey again it’s making me hungry for one of my own!”

Photo credits: @cassandradonne