“It was a really fast opening stage today, hectic and the attacks for the breakaway came as soon as the flag dropped. Brian Kamstra did well, and he managed to get into one of the first moves, but unfortunately he crashed – he’s ok – but that was the end of that particular move.”

“At 100 kilometers it was a short stage with the time trial coming in the afternoon and we thought it might settle down a little, but it didn’t. It was full gas all the way and we worked hard to try and keep ourselves near the front.

“Going into the final the team gave me the opportunity to have a go in the sprint. I was a little bit far back to make the top ten, but I felt good, made up some ground on the rise to the finish and ended up crossing the line in the top 15.

“After so long not doing a time trial it felt pretty strange, but we all gave it our best on a fast course and we are looking forward to tomorrow now, which will be a very tough stage.”

Massimo Podenzana

“We expected a fast start this morning and we got it. The boys were ready, attentive and at the front and it was a shame that Brian hit the deck in the early break, but thankfully he’s ok – that’s the important thing.”

“Charles’ characteristics are well suited to a final of this type, fast, slight uphill to the finish and ideally, we wanted to position him a little better, but it was very hectic, and we were further back than we wanted.

“The boys still did a good job and I am pleased to see them working so well together and with tomorrow being a difficult stage at 200 kilometers and peppered with climbs we will look to come through in the best way possible.”

Next Up:

Tomorrow’s stage 2 in Slovakia covers 206.6 kilometers from Zilina to Banska Bystrica.

Stage 2

Video

Ninth place for Charles Planet in stage 2 at Tour of Slovakia

Race: Okolo Slovenska

Start/Finish: Zilina to Banska Bystrica

Distance: 206.6km

Charles Planet

“The team did an absolutely amazing job today, it was a super hard stage and the race split early on the climbs. All our guys worked hard to bring the race back together and that was the difference between me getting a chance in the finish and being nowhere near.”

“There were ten categorized climbs over 206 kilometers and the finish was uphill into the town center and was really hard after a long day. I went so deep in the sprint, I’m completely empty now.

“On a stage like this you can see and feel when the guys around you are getting tired and everyone was on the limit as we went the final. A few years ago, that would have played with my head and that becomes another battle, not only your body, but your head also. We have come a long way in the last few years and getting a top ten on a stage like today proves that.”

Massimo Podenzana

“We were asleep at the beginning of the stage, there’s no other way to put it. The WorldTour teams went hard from the start and a big group of around 40 riders broke away and we weren’t in there.”

“That’s why we had to work so hard to bring the race back together. The guys did very well from that point, they worked hard, got back in contact and gave Charles and Peter Kusztor the chance to finish with the leaders and in Charles’ case, to contest the sprint.

“Placing in the top ten is a satisfying result after the work we put in today, it’s going to be another hard day tomorrow, but shorter than today and less climbs.”

Next Up:

Stage 3 of Okolo Slovenska takes place tomorrow and will cover 181.3 kilometers from Banska Bystrica to Ziar nad Hronom.

Stage 3

Video

KUSZTOR STEADILY CLIMBS THE GENERAL CLASSIFICATION ON THIRD STAGE IN SLOVAKIA

Race: Okolo Slovenska

Start/Finish: Banska Bystrica – Ziar nadHronom

Distance: 181.3km

Peter Kusztor

“I was trying to go from the beginning, but it was a very fast start and Brian Kamstra was our guy who made it first but Sunweb pulled hard and that move came back on the first climb, so I saw my chance and me and three other guys managed to get away.”

“We had a plan to try and take some seconds and that’s what we were able to do. It was another really unified performance from the whole team and moving up to 15th is really satisfying.

“Once it came back together, we went all in for Charles Planet who did another good sprint to and came close to breaking into the top ten again. We will do our best to hold on to our position tomorrow and try to move up a couple of places if we get the chance.”

Massimo Podenzana

“Today was a good day, the guys did a great job and we came close to achieving the result we were looking for. Brian was attentive in the early kilometers an got into the first breakaway and when that came back, we managed to get Peter up the road as part of a quartet.”

“Peter’s group collaborated really well, and they were only caught in the last 20kilometers by the work of Deceuninck-QuickStep on the front of the peloton – work that totally split the bunch in two. I’m happy because Peter rode intelligently, he made sure to take some points and that’s why he moved up on the GC.

“At the finish we expected a fast sprint and that’s what we got. Slight downhill into the final turn and then pan flat to the line. Charles is producing good numbers at the moment and he was right in the thick of it again to take 12th.”

Next Up:

Tomorrow’s fourth and final stage is the shortest of the race and covers 171.1 kilometers from Topolcianky to Skalica.

Stage 4

Video

PERON AND PLANET HIT THE GAS IN THE FINAL SPRINT AND KUSZTOR HOLDS FIRM IN THE GC IN SLOVAKIA

Race: Okolo Slovenska

Start/Finish: Topolcianky – Skalica

Distance: 171.1km

Andrea Peron

“I’ve been frustrated recently with my sprint, there’s been a few occasions where I felt I could have done better and wasn’t really sure why and today I felt a lot better, I had the power and decent positioning which enabled me to get up there in 11^th.”

“For sure I am happier with the result, but for me I know I can do better than that and I need to have more confidence in myself. We have all missed some racing this season with COVID-19, but the team have always been there for me and given me the chance to go for every sprint.

“That has been no different this week and the guys have been racing well all race. Charles was up there again today, and Peter also held on in the front group to maintain his position on GC so all in all we had a positive Tour.”

Massimo Podenzana

“It has been a solid four days racing for the boys, and we can go away happy with our performances here in Slovakia. We had set objectives for the race and we wanted to ride consistently and go for a good result on the general classification, ideally the top ten and we came close to that.”

“Only 40 seconds separated the top 15 riders, so it was very tight overall, and Peter did a great job on stage three to gain those bonus seconds which enabled him to place 15^th on the GC and wrap up the race on a positive note.

“We’re in a good place now to go on to Pars-Camembert in France next week and support Charles in one of his home races and on a parcours that will definitely suit him.”