Team Polti Kometa isn’t afraid of the echelons: Lonardi’s sprint podium and Fetter’s super breakaway at the ZLM Tour
Who said flat stages are boring and easy to predict? True, the fourth stage of the ZLM Tour ended in a sprint. But it was a whirlwind of crosswinds and counterattacks, in a long ride through the Dutch Brabant that also saw two passes over the Oyster Dam. After the action of a couple of Continental riders, the right breakaway takes shape at km 80: Erik Fetter is one of the protagonists of a leading group initially of 4 men, then 6, then even 26 when the main sprinters (including Lonardi and Peñalver) join them.
Realizing they have no hope due to the presence of some GC men up front, many escapees wait for the peloton to chase in the draft and only ten fugitives remain ahead in the final 50 kilometers. Among them is still Fetter. The sprinters’ trains make a big push to avoid the second consecutive blow and succeed in their intent in the nick of time: the last survivors are caught 200 meters from the line in Roosendaal and Lonardi finishes 3rd behind the green jersey Van Uden and Belgian Dehairs.
After Valenciana, Antalya, Turkey, and the Giro… another stage race where Lonardi steps onto the podium this year: “Super tough race today!” comments the 1996-born Veronese. “I’m happy because I think I raced very well, always up front thanks also to the excellent work of my teammates. In the finale I stuck to Van Uden’s wheel, tried to come out 80 meters from the line but the strongest won. I’m always there and a good placement is not to be thrown away, tomorrow I’ll try to take advantage of the last chance…”
Thus the Hungarian Fetter: “Today we faced the stimulating and hard challenges of the races around here, it was an endless battle. Since I hit the breakaway, my goal has become not to allow a counterattack to start without Team Polti Kometa, so as to relieve Lona and Peñalver from the responsibility of pulling. Mission accomplished!”
Finally, the analysis of the sports director Biagio Conte: “Well done everyone, really, especially for the first part where the wind was continuous and broke the bunch several times. There were indeed some crashes in the initial phases, including one by Diego Sevilla with no consequences, while Mirco Maestri remained in one of the trailing groups, but thanks to his well-known qualities and the fact that the yellow jersey Herregodts was also there, our work together with Intermarché allowed us to return and maintain our captain’s overall top-10 position. We are improving day by day and hope to finish beautifully in Oosterhout.”
