Finally my home tour is coming. I wanted to show my best here, and maybe to convince some managers to offer me a contract... I felt very good before the race, my form was well-timed for this race!
The race started with 5 km long time-trial, where I wanted not to lose much time.
I was looking especially towards the stages 3 and 4 which profile looked good for me.

I was feeling really good in the morning and I wanted to left there everything on the ground.


There was no intermediates on the road and I had problem with my radio so I didn't hear my DS. But I felt I was going very good and those people around the road with a lot of Luxembourgian flags gave me some bonus also.


As I was on the last metres I was absolutely exhausted, but somehow I managed to keep going hard and when I crossed the line I couldn't believe my eyes! I was only 1'' behind the winner Stephen Cummings.
I was very happy and I knew my form is really good!

Standing on the start as 2nd overall only 1'' behind was a great feeling and I wanted to go through this stage without any problems adn my team-mates helped me a lot with that!
The stage classified as flat was good occasion for sprinters to show themselves in this tour.
In the break there was only one rider - H. Dupond (Ag2r) so it looked like a hard day for him and on the other hand easy job for the teams in the peleton. Especially IAM worked hard and in the final Heinrich Haussler payed his team's work back with his win. Frank Schleck came in the 3rd and due to bonuses he moved into yellow jersey!

As only 1'' between me and Frank promised great battle on this stage, because I was really motivated to prove that I brought great form here.

This one was also probably the hardest stage on the course. So the it was great opportunity to get some time.
Trek didn't want to give the leaders so much space so they controled the stage since its start.


During the stage they got help by OPQS riders, and 20 kms before the line the breakaway riders were caught.
The first one of the favourites who attacked was Jan Bakelants (OPQS) and nobody followed him...


At 10 kms mark Paulinho (Tinkoff-Saxo) with Edet (Cofidis) went away from the peleton and joined Bakelants. However, Trek made high pace and 4 kms before the finish the trio in the front was caught by them. I was near to the front and had great position for the final sprint.


I used Alafaci's lead-out for Frank Schleck and went very hard then. Frank had no chance to beat me in the sprint finale and I could celebrate victory in Luxembourg!

1	Mario Rizzi	Leopard Development Team	5h01'10
2	Fränk Schleck	Trek Factory Racing	s.t.
3	Ben Swift	Sky Procycling	s.t.
4	Daniele Bennati	Team Tinkoff - Saxo	s.t.
5	Nathan Haas	Garmin - Sharp	s.t.

PLYM VALLEY CYCLING wrote:
Just wanted to say that I am really enjoying your story and happy with the results Mario has put in. You inspired my,about to start,story named Portuguese promises. Good luck

sutty68 wrote:
Great victory from Mario , now to defend that Leaders jersey

Sitting on the 1st overall with 7'' lead ahead of Frank Schleck! That was the situation before the stage and I was to do everything to keep it like this!

My team-mates enjoyed this stage in the front of the peleton working very hard, luckily we got some help from OPQS and Sky. The terrain was very hard, we were still going up and down.
It was harder for the breakaway riders who were caught when 40 kms still left and laps around Diekirch were ahead of us.
About 18 kms from the finish my team-mates were out of energy and as I was feeling really good, I decided to try the peleton move and I wanted to show my leader's jersey.


Garmin was the team which started to followed me and my advantage was slowly going down.
As just one lap remained (about 9 kms to the finish) I had just a few seconds on the peleton and Frank Schelck attacked and I followed him.


We had just a few seconds, and another riders from the pack attacked - Arashiro (Europcar), Denifl (IAM) and also van Baarle (Garmin), de Kort (Giant) and Swift (Sky) were there.
About 3 kms before the finish we were together with some seconds ahead of peleton.
I had already put everything to the stage so I came as the last in our group and Denifl was the strongest, he came ahead of Arashiro and Frank Schleck, who got 8'' bonus...

PLYM VALLEY CYCLING wrote:
Disappointing result after such a bright start. Good tour overall mind

During the morning I went explore the today's route and we saw that the finishing road is going slightly uphill and I thought I could try to be involved in the final sprint, maybe I'll get some bonus second, because there weren't too much sprinters.
The stage was boring one so far. Trek controlled the whole stage and the finish was coming.
IAM prepared great position for Haussler and he moved out from us for the easy win.


But how did the situation behind him looked?

... I was there on the 2nd beating Swift! Unbelievable! Due to bonus seconds I came back to overall lead and so overall victory in Tour de Luxembourg!

I had some clues that I could be a stagiare during the second half of the season at Trek Factory Racing earlier, but it wasn't clear so far so I didn't want to tell you something about it.
However, after Tour de Luxembourg I had a meeting with Luca Guercilena, the manager of Trek Factory Racing, and he told me that from 1/8 I will be riding for Trek! After an overall victory another great moment for me and it's a big step to get a professional contract for the next season!

Just a week after my victory at Luxembourg I was on the start again! It was in Belgium for Fleche Ardennaise. It's my last race before national champioship held on 30/6.

The profile of this race is that what I really like. A classic with hilly profile sits me great and I still could feel the from Luxembourg.

Since the race began a lot of riders attacked and it was real fight to be in the breakaway! It took about 50km when the peloton left someone go.
But some actions of the favourites had to come on the last 30km - two hills and then descent to the finish!


My team-mates were working hard on the front and nobody made a move.
On the 10km mark I tried an attack!


Only Mathieu van der Poel (BKCP) reacted on it, by I was still a bid ahead. Anyway about 7km to go, we were together with a decent advantage on our chasers.


After we reached the top, there was only descent to the finish city left. I knew I'm fresher as we were going to the finish...
...and I was right, I outsprinted Mathieu quite easily and a week after overall win in Luxembourg I took the classic race too!