Much fancied to do well for us this season, generally, Kazushige Kuboki came into the Benelux Challenge as one of favourites to compete for victories in a stage race featuring both time-trials and hilly terrain which suits the punchy riding style of our Japanese leader.
Stage 1 - Luxembourg ITT
In the opening prologue Kuboki performed well but not well enough to take the opening lead, despite being the bookies' favourite to do so. Still a highly creditable 7th place at only 7 seconds off the lead would set him up for a tilt at the leaders jersey in days to come.
Kuboki Contra-la-montre | Image courtesy of rotrun.
Stage 2 - Luxembourg to Hautcharage
Stage 2 saw the peleton take on the tricky run from Luxembourg to Hautcharage, which although classified as a stage for the sprinters, was still highly enough to favour punchy riders like our man Kuboki rather than out and out sprinters.
Chenaux in the break. | Image courtesy of rotrun.
In order to force the sprinters teams into expending energy, various teams sent men up the road. For us it was Adrien Chenaux who joined the early break and mopped up the KoM points to take an early lead in that competition in the process. As expected, the break didn't stay away till the end, but it did succeed in tiring out the sprinters teams. Alas, back in the bunch our leadout man Vitoria came down.
The weather takes its toll. | Image courtesy of rotrun.
This left Kuboki a man short in the final run into the finish at Hautcharage and ultimately force him to kick early and hop to hold off the other sprinters competing for the stage win. It was a feat he very nearly accomplished, however in the dying moments of the bunch gallop it was Kruopis who raised his arms in victory, with our man having to settle for 2nd place on the day and on the GC.
Kruopis takes control. | Image courtesy of rotrun.
Stage 3 - Schifflange to Walferdange
The third stage of the Benelux Challenge would finally allow Kuboki to break his duct in both the race and that season as a lumpy course reduced the field to only a smattering of the strongest riders. This time it was race leader Kruopis who opened up the sprint for the line, hoping that after such an energy sapping run in there would be nobody able to respond coming over the last bump on the topography.
However, Kuboki bided his time and finished with an impressive turn of speed to overtake Kruopis and Favilli on the line, taking the leaders jersey for good measure.
Kuboki takes the victory. | Image courtesy of rotrun.
Well done that man!
Stage 4 - Ronse to Ronse
The inclusion of a cobbled stage was always going to prove a problem for our team. Despite the strength in depth that we have in the hills, we alack men to ride the big cobbled races and it was one of the reasons that our leader wasn't fancied as a serious contender for the overall victory in the Benelux Challenge.
Indeed, Kuboki would lose the leaders jersey back to by the end of the day to Aidis Kruopis. However it was a titanic effort by Kazushige to try to hold on, only losing touch at the very death the day, on the last ascent of the cobbled climb. It was a memorable performance by a gutsy rider to limit his losses on a hard, hard stage. At 38 seconds down on the overall and sitting in a strong 8th position, hopes were still high that we might recover a high finish in the GC.
Stage 5 - Riemst to Aywaille
The penultimate stage of the Benelux Challenge was a tough one again, both in terms of the terrain and in terms of the result for us. After such a hard effort the day before it was always going to be tough for Kuboki to deliver, despite our hopes to the contrary.
The day started auspiciously for Actavis DKSH, however, with Lukas Flückiger making it into the morning's breakaway. Elements of the group would still be off the front when the real action began.
Flückiger flying the colours. | Image courtesy of rotrun.
The battle for the GC opened properly on the the third to last climb with Team Indosat firing a strong salvo across the bows of the other teams, attacking en-mass to give their leader Kruopis the early advantage. Generali - Kronenbourg 1664 duo Malacarne and Molard came along for the ride, leaving Kuboki and the others to chase back on.
Indosat on the attack. | Image courtesy of rotrun
Lead by the DeLeval team of Vastaranta, the group of favourites managed to real in the chase group and bring the group of Kruopis back within striking distance. With the last climb of the day beginning all of the major GC threats including Kuboki accelerated to bridge the gap over to Kruopis and co. De Maar immediately attacked again to pull clear with a little over 1km to go and Molard was the only rider to respond.
De Maar goes on the offensive | Image courtesy of rotrun
Those two looked strong and managed to close the gap to the remnants of the early breakaway, including our own Lukas Flückiger, who was a credit to the team with his efforts, finishing 6th. However he was no match for De Maar who powered home to take a memorable stage victory.
De Maar marches home | Image courtesy of rotrun
Kuboki struggled on the last climb of the day, however, and lost 1 minute and 20 seconds to De Maar, slipping further out of contention for the win. Clearly his efforts on the previous stage had left him drained.
Stage 6 - Hoogerheide to Aalter
The last stage was a pan flat affair, perfect for the fast men, meaning that the GC battle was over yesterday. Ever the optimist, Adrien Chenaux joined the early break in a last minute bid for glory. It almost paid off for him... the pack leaving it just too late to contest the stage win. Christiaan Kriek managed to hold off the chase to take the win for Strava. Kazushige Kuboki finished strongly to take 5th at the head of the peleton, 8th overall and 2nd in the points standings. Not a bad week for Actavis, all things considered.
Thanks, mate. Yeah he really does. So far I get the impression that other riders on the team might not shine as brightly as first hoped, so Kazushige needs to take his opportunities when they arise.
