Peron Scores Top Five Finish at Volta Rio Grande do Sul

07 April 2016

Race: Volta Ciclística Internacional do Rio Grande do Sul, Stage 2

Start/Finish: São Francisco de Paula / São Francisco de Paula, Brazil

Distance: 162 kilometers

São Francisco de Paula, Brazil —Team Novo Nordisk’s Andrea Peron earned his best result of the season when he sprinted to fifth place on Stage 2 of the Volta Ciclística Internacional do Rio Grande do Sul while teammate Joonas Henttala held onto seventh place overall.

“Yesterday was a very challenging day on the bike for me due to the high heat,” Peron said. “I didn’t know what to expect from my body today and then I had a flat with 13 km to go. I managed to come back in time for the sprint, but I know I can do even better. Yet after yesterday, doing this well today already felt a bit like a victory.”

Stage 2 of the Volta Ciclística Internacional do Rio Grande do Sul opener was a 162-kilometer race starting and finishing in São Francisco de Paula. The race saw two separate breakaways, but all attempts were reeled in with 40 km remaining. Soon Team Novo Nordisk moved to the front to control the sprint for Peron. Despite a flat in the final kilometers, a quick wheel change allowed him to make it back to the front before the final sections and the 27-year-old was able to sprint for fifth place. Henttala finished outside of the top 10 in eleventh position and remains seventh overall, 1:50 behind race leader Murilo Affonso (Funvic Soul Cycles).

“We knew it was important to enter town in the first positions because the final three kilometers were cobblestoned,” Team Novo Nordisk Sport Director Pavel Cherkasov said. “Thanks to a fast wheel change and great work by Peron and his teammates, he was able to make it back before things got too technical. This finish is one of our best results of the season so far.”

Results Stage 2: