English
Alsemberg : 29/03/2009
MILRAM’s Fabian Wegmann sprinted to a third place finish in the exciting finale of the 49th Brabantse Pijl (UCI Category 1.1). Christian Knees completed the team’s strong performance as eighth. The winner after 193.5 kilometers from Leuven to Alsemberg was Anthoy Geslin (Francaise des Jeux) ahead of countryman Jerome Pineau (Quick Step).
“Of course I am disappointed, we were so close!”
said MILRAM’s Fabian Wegmann.
“We rode super well the whole race and also the finale, that was a really strong team performance. Christian Knees was very strong and gave his all for me in the finale. I sprinted at 250 meters in the optimal position. It turned out to be 30 meters too early. But I would still like to thank the whole team, even if I would rather have thanked them with a win.”
“The team would really have deserved the win today,”
said Christian Henn, MILRAM’s Directeur Sportif.
“We were present today in every important group and were in charge from the beginning. We were always present and had everything under control. Fabian Wegmann did everything exactly right in the finale. We couldn’t do any big tactics, the chasing field was too close. Christian Knees sacrificed himself and held the speed up. It’s really too bad that the ending was so close and so unlucky.”
Early in the race an 11-rider strong group formed around MILRAM youngster Luca Barla. The peloton didn’t like the group and quickly gathered it in. But another group formed quickly, with a 12-man group getting away after nearly 45 kilometers. Team MILRAM was once again represented: Matthias Russ rode very actively and helped lead the group to a two-minute advantage, which the attentive peloton held constant, keeping the race under its control.
60 kilometers before the finish, a successful attack caused the peloton’s tempo to pick up. MILRAM’s Fabian Wegmann and teammate Johannes Fröhlinger used an attack to get into the now-larger escape group. The MILRAM trio was often to be seen at the front and kept the chasers 20 seconds back. When this group was caught with 45 kilometers to go, things got hectic. Attack after attack followed, until 38 km before the finish, another group including MILRAM’s Christian Knees got away. Behind them, Fabian Wegmann fought his way out of the peloton to the group, making it eight riders strong. Christian Knees was often at the front, keeping the tempo up and helping to keep the group from being caught. Fabian Wegmann opened the sprint in the finale,and he missed the victory by only a few meters.
Result:
1. Anthony Geslin (FRA) Francaise des Jeux
2. Jérôme Pineau (FRa) Quick Step
3. Fabian Wegmann (GER) Team MILRAM
4. Björn Leukemans (BEL) Vacansoleil
5. Karsten Kroon (DEN) Saxo Bank
6. Frederik Willems (BEL) Liquigas
7. Xavier Florencio (ESP) Cervelo TestTeam
8. Christian Knees (GER) Team MILRAM
9. Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Silence-Lotto
10. Benoît Vaugrenard (FRA) Française des Jeux
…
The MILRAM line-up:
Luca Barla (ITA/San Remo-Imperia), Johannes Fröhlinger (GER/Freiburg im Breisgau), Christian Knees (GER/Euskirchen), Matthias Ruß (GER/Oberried), Ronny Scholz (GER/Herrenberg), Martin Velits (SVK/Riemst,BEL), Peter Velits (SVK/Riemst,BEL), Fabian Wegmann (GER/Freiburg im Breisgau)
Directeur Sportif: Christian Henn (GER)