Groupama-FDJ might not have secured a victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen, however a podium end for Stefan Küng was one thing to rejoice on Wednesday. The Swiss rider made probably the most of his luck in staying forward of a significant crash, making a transfer right into a decisive breakaway and battling numbers towards Visma-Lease a Bike.
In the long run, he completed behind Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) for third however managed to seize the ultimate spot on the rostrum forward of Visma-Lease a Bike’s Tiesj Benoot, who had helped his teammate Matteo Jorgenson into the ultimate break for the victory.
“I feel second place would have been the utmost consequence as a result of Visma had the numbers they usually performed it properly,” Küng mentioned.
“I used to be in all probability the strongest aside from them nevertheless it was inconceivable for me to win this race. Each Jorgenson and Benoot are actually sturdy riders and everybody else was taking a look at me as a result of they had been on the restrict.”
Visma-Lease-a-Bike took over as a mass of yellow on the entrance of the peloton heading over the Berg Ten Houte with below 75km to go. Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) attacked however Küng was one of many first lead riders to react and together with Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) the menace was shut down.
Then extra assaults adopted till all momentum modified with the massive crash on the descent resulting in the Kanarieberg, with 65km to go.
“It was a bit hectic at that second, I simply moved up within the group, and proper after I heard the crash behind me,” Küng mentioned. “I feel everybody was a bit shocked at first, then Matteo Jorgenson re-opened the race within the Kanarieberg.”
The Groupama-FDJ rider discovered himself in a entrance choice, which quickly expanded from 5 riders to 11. It was then Küng on the offensive on a cobbled part with 30km to go, which started to scale back the entrance group. Then, with 7km to go, Jorgenson put in a shock assault that left Küng taking turns with Abrahamsen, Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), whereas Benoot remained of their slipstream.
“That they had the numbers, they usually performed it properly. There additionally wasn’t a tough sufficient climb within the ultimate to make a distinction. When there are two towards one, and the others are simply taking a look at me as a result of they’re on the restrict, then it’s actually troublesome,” Küng added.
Now in his sixth marketing campaign for Groupama-FDJ, Küng had set his sights on the Classics this spring as a buildup to the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. He completed within the prime 10 of each these Monuments within the final two years, together with third at Paris-Roubaix in 2022. With prime 20s at E3 Saxo Traditional and Gent-Wevelgem serving as appetizers for a 3rd at Dwars door Vlaanderen, the versatile 30-year-old was primed for Ronde this Sunday.
“The cobbled climbs normally go well with me higher, and I really feel I’m getting higher from race to race. Right this moment was the perfect I’ve felt in all of the these races. That’s a optimistic signal for the Tour of Flanders,” Küng mentioned.
“I hope I may be there with a powerful workforce. Now we have three playing cards to play: Laurence Pithie, Valentin Madouas and me. Now we have to attempt to do one thing.”
The workforce confirmed this podium end as being the most important results of the spring races up to now, regardless that Lenny Martinez had received two one-day races, Traditional Var and Trofeo Laigueglia, and Laurence Pithie took the title at Cadel Evan Nice Ocean Highway Race.
“We lastly have the consequence that we had been lacking,” mentioned Frédéric Guesdon, assistant sports activities director, in a workforce assertion after the race. “Till then, we had been up there in all of the races, nevertheless it had not paid off. Right this moment, there may be the rostrum and the way in which to take it, in order that’s good. This bodes properly for Sunday. Taking third in Dwars door Vlaanderen offers morale to everybody. The objectives are clear for Sunday, and we’ll get to the Ronde with loads of motivation.”
