Devo Race Report – Joe Martin Stage Race 

Joe Martin Stage Race – Stage 1

Daniel Holt – Team Manager

While this is only a smaller USA race, I knew that it would be competitive and told the guys as such. It was very windy with several sections of crosswinds throughout the race, then a 10km climb. The guys should keep position to make the front splits, then try to hang on over the climb. We encouraged them to be aggressive and go for some jerseys.

Everyone looked pretty good to begin with, but after 3 hours they seemed to be suffering from the heat. They just looked overheated even though they all drank a lot. This was the first race of the year with heat… In the end, only Robbe made the group over the climb but then cramped out with 20km to go.

Joe Martin Stage Race – Stage 2

It was a super windy day with up and down roads. We encouraged the guys to brush off yesterday’s race and start new today by getting in the breakaway. The guys did the best they could but the first hour was really hard and only Robbe and Nathan made it into the main group. Everyone else was in survival mode. Robbe did great by getting 19th place. And, also Nathan with 29th. 

Joe Martin Stage Race – Stage 3

This was a very straightforward mountain TT. Head coach, Sergey Lagutin told the guys to warm-up well and ride the TT hard since people have missed the time cut in years past. A good ride by Nathan to make the top 30.

Joe Martin Stage Race – Stage 4

This is a very hard criterium circuit. Technical downhill turns with a steep uphill climb. Normally, only around 40 people finish this race. We told the guys to warm-up well, conserve energy on the downhill, and be ready to go full gas from the beginning of the race. Unfortunately we didn’t achieve what we set out today but we live to fight another day.