Aidis Kruopis

It was a time where the team was in dire need of a result to stay in the fight for promotion. Coming in to the race, the USAPCC had been the only race in a few months where the team had taken any significant points. We expected a tough race with pretty much every notable sprinter in the division present. This wasn't helped by the fact that the team was required to achieve a top-5 result to satisfy our goal set at the beginning of the season. The only aspects of this race that gave us confidence was the small uphill finish on the first stage and the ITT on the third stage - Kruopis was by far the best TT'er out of the sprinters present. It was to be a race where he would try and limit his losses on each stage; to the sprinters on the flat stages, and the TT specialists during the TT in the hope to secure a top-5 position overall. We provided him the best team we could field for a race like this.

Kruopis was by far the most consistent rider in the race from the first stage, taking it in a close finish with Sevesrstal's Bole on an uphill finish. Zhang and Nateghi delivered him to the front with the line in sight and although Bole eventually gained a little ground on him towards the end, it was too little too late.

Stage 2 featured a few small, rolling hills leading into the last few kilometres. The break of three was formed, with all three being decent puncheurs. With just over 10km to go, Strava hit the front in incredible fashion minimising the break's advantage from nearly two minutes down to just 30" with 3km remaining. The break held onto this advantage until there was 2km to go. Victory was looking good for them until Kruopis burst from the peloton and left them behind. He quickly caught and passed the break and took a dominating victory in the leader's jersey.

Kruopis then went into the third stage ITT with a 40" buffer on leader and eventual winner Boaro (Generali). After his sprinting companions failed to make much of an impact and stage favourite Tennant (Strava) went down by a measly second, He took to the course and finished just 21" behind Boaro and kept his lead.
The final two stages went to plan and with two respectable stage results (4th, 13th) Aidis finally sealed the overall GC, and took home the points jersey for good measure. We had also completed our 3rd goal, and were looking like making it 4/5 with a top 10 result in the division. Without the success of Kruopis in this race, we most definitely wouldn't have achieved our eventual 5th place and stayed up in the promotion places.

Kruopis was by far our most consistent rider this season. He took both our first and last victories of the season; a stage in the Benelux tour and the GC of the Herald Sun Tour. He raced like a champion and gave it a fair shake of the sauce bottle in every race he competed in. He wasn't the fastest sprinter in the division, but still stuck it to the top sprinters when they opposed him and put up a fight.

We'll be more than happy to accommodate Aidis if he wishes to stay with us for the next season.