Olympia’s Tour - Stage 1 (Krabbendijke–Yersekendam)
Welcome to IESN1 here at the channel’s launch day and we will bring you coverage of the 6-day Olympia’s Tour. And we will start with the curtain raiser - an 18 km flat time trial stage from Krabbendijke to Yersekendam which will test the top TT specialists that had signed up for the race. Let’s see who are the favorites according to our expert panel:
The Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team, who look to bounce back to PCT for the next season, are really trying to make a clear statement early on with 2 riders in the pre-stage favorites in Van Moer and Knotten. Fellow Norwegian CT team Tafjord - Kraft isn’t far behind with two riders of their own with Belevics and Vangstad and could be looking to spoil the party. Rounding off the Top 5 in this table Team Würth MODYF’s Predatsch. Some small chase is given to Hamza from SEE Turtles, the Podium Ambition trio of Vanderpool, Campbell and Hennis with Bordeaux’s Weinstein most likely play a wildcard role for the win. And now, we go to the commentary booth as we now head over to the action from the Netherlands:
Well, it’s a beautiful day here in Krabbendijke as we gear up for the start of the race. It will surely give us a fine race. And we start off early on with one of the favorites in Van Moer. And he bests the benchmark set by Podium Ambition’s Vanderpool (another favorite starting early on) by 5 seconds. Looks like we’ll be getting an action-packed stage from beginning to end.
Our cameras forgot to follow Vanderpool as he set the benchmark as Van Moer had caught and later passed one of the weaker riders in Samudio. The Belgian increased his lead over the Barbados native by 2 seconds.
As mentioned, Weinstein is a wildcard in this stage and in the first checkpoint he followed a tempo similar to that of Vanderpool - just 2 seconds shy. However, he lost 10 seconds at the finish - not the start he wanted.
Just behind him is Hamza, who has also been among the Top 10 picks from the panel. The Algerian had managed to tie Vanderpool at the first checkpoint, but he also lost time at the finish line - 7 seconds loss, but beat Weinstein by 5.
Predatsch is also eager to give a really good impression early on and at the first checkpoint he’s only 3 seconds behind Van Moer’s time. But he also loses time when he reached the finish line - 7 seconds behind Van Moer and tied with Vanderpool
Let’s see how the provisional standings look like at the first checkpoint - so far no one has beaten Van Moer’s time, but the Top 6 consists of pre-stage favorites which has been really good. But what is the situation over at the finish line?
Well, nothing has changed that much with the exception of Tafjord’s Vangstad jumping to 4th place just 1 second behind Predatsch and Vanderpool. But no one had so far matched Van Moer’s pace - looks like the Belgian wanted to deliver a crushing blow to his opposition from the start.
Podium Ambition has another card to play and that’s Hennis. 6 seconds behind at the first checkpoint. He finished in provisional 6th, but like everyone, except for Van Moer that is, he lost ground - he was 12 seconds behind.
Tafjord aren’t ready to throw the towel just yet as their biggest TT weapon takes off - Belevics. 4 seconds behind at the 1st checkpoint, but will he catch a second wind by the finishing line? Unfortunately, that would be no as he finishes in provisional 2nd, losing just 2 more seconds. Close, but not close enough.
The last rider from the Top 10 picks is Trinidad and Tobago’s Campbell. However, we doubt he’d scratch Van Moer’s lead as at the 1st checkpoint he’s already 8 seconds behind. 9th place at the finish - 15 seconds behind.
It appears that Van Moer’s time won’t be beaten, so here’s how the provisional standings at the finish are - the Top 20 is packed in less than half a minute with the panel’s Top 10 picks so far occupy…the Top 10 positions. Doubtful that these places would be threatened but anything can happen.
And without anyone threatening the Top 10, in the end Brent Van Moer is today's stage winner.
Since he won the very first stage, he’ll also be taking the reins as the overall classification winner.
The stage win also means that he’s leading in the points classification.
And leads in the Young Riders classification as well - a clean sweep for the Belgian, but this is the first stage though and the layers may shift a bit.
Podium Ambition however spoils Gjensidige’s party, preventing a sweep of classification leads by taking over the team’s classification.
And here are the results as IESN concludes this programme - have a great day wherever you are.
