Double top-five finish on the last stage and De Cassan sixth overall to close the Tour of Taiwan
Team Polti Kometa showed an exceptional image as a block on the final day of the Tour of Taiwan, with its five riders in the front group that fought for the stage victory and the overall. Manuel Peñalver was third at the finish, David Martín fourth and the team took second place in the final general classification.
The only thing missing was a win in the fifth and final stage of the Tour of Taiwan. The Team Polti Kometa riders started the day determined to give their best. Thus, they managed to stay in the front all together on a 35 riders group that was formed in the initial part of the stage, although bad fortune took Garosio out of the final top-10 due to a mechanic.
Aware of their superiority, they let the rest of the teams with an interest in the general classification work. The very strong pace at the front wore down all the riders and in the last 3 kilometres there was a movement of two riders with the presence of Fran Muñoz. The Catalan rider did not have the approval of the men fighting for the leader’s jersey, who gave no margin to his attempt and the duo was trapped on the last corner just 300 metres from the finish line.
A sprint was launched with very little strength. Manuel Peñalver fought for the victory and was just a few centimetres behind, third at the finish line by photo finish. Fourth was David Martín, while Davide de Cassan tried to gain seconds for the general classification and climbed to sixth place in the overall. Team Polti Kometa was the second best team of this Tour of Taiwan.
Manuel Peñalver: “The stage went very crazy, with a break at the start that split the peloton into two groups. We saved our strength, knowing that the day had been very hard. And in the sprint, by centimetres, I was able to finish third. It’s a pity we couldn’t finish Taiwan with the victory, but we’re happy because we were in the fight every day, in the top-10 and we showed our level as a team”.
Davide de Cassan: “Podium today in the sprint, sixth overall and second in the team classification. I think we have worked perfectly for the objectives, it is a result that gives a lot of morale and confidence for the next competitions and that shows without a doubt the great support I have had from my team-mates here in Taiwan”.
Biagio Conte, sports director: “The stage was easy on paper, with a sprint finish. But the group broke in two on one of the hardest ramps of the climb with the leader dropped. We had our five riders in front, with the bad luck of Garosio’s puncture, who was unable to return to the front. Our riders saved their strength, thinking about the sprint finish and we were able to make the podium with Peñalver third and David Martín fourth. I think we did a great job and we can go home satisfied”.
