Team Novo Nordisk left frustrated at Gooikse Pijl

22 September 2024

Mixed fortunes for Team Novo Nordisk at Gooikse Pijl in Belgium as the world’s first all diabetes professional cycling team took the opportunity to blood new talent with French stagiaire Celestin Wattelle but were left thinking about missed opportunities with Aussie Declan Irvine and Italian Filippo Ridolfo both feeling they could have done better.

A controlled day at the office for the majority of the peloton unfolded behind the early breakaway, as the sprinters team’s kept them within reach for much of the race. Finally closing the gap on the final circuit with 10km remaining.

“We didn’t have much to do through the race today other stay focused and keep our position,” said Irvine. “Filippo and I tried to make the breakaway early on, but neither id us jumped at the right time, so we knew after that the important moments would come in the last 20 or 30km and that’s what happened.”

“When the pace Increases like that you really notice it, you start to feel 180km of punchy circuits in your legs and you’re almost battling with yourself as much the rest to the bunch. I felt like I was too far back once the break was caught and Filippo did an amazing jon to try and pull me back to the front, but the pace was insanely high at that point and we were out of contention.”

“It is frustrating really, because I think both of us felt we had the legs to do a bit better. There were some of the best sprinters in the world here, so it’s not like I think we were going to get in the top placings, but we wanted to be out front today and it’s frustrating when you miss the right move.”