Evita Muzic takes second place in the general classification of the Vuelta a Burgos
This Sunday was the last stage of the Tour de Burgos. After 4 days, 490 kilometers and a finish at 1870 meters above sea level, Evita Muzic took second place in the general classification after finishing second in stage 3 and third in stage 4. She also returns to the home the best youngster’s white jersey. Cecilie meanwhile takes 5th place overall!
Stage 1: no difficulty on the course, apart from the wind which was part of it. The main mission of the team was the protection of the leaders, Marta and Cecilie, and managing the race, which was animated from the first kilometers. Marie Le Net designated for the sprint finishes 9th in the stage. Good overall result on this 1st stage.
Stage 2: a second difficult day, the team loses Marta on a fall, who must leave by ambulance. A few kilometers further, Grace was also caught in a fall, fortunately without consequences.
Cédric, sports director: “We were afraid that the diagnosis would be important, but the examinations carried out at the hospital were reassuring and she will be able to be back on the bike quickly. For a team, this is the kind of day that we prefer to forget, but that’s part of the sport. In the evening we managed to remobilize everyone, the fact that Marta’s diagnosis was not severe, it also allowed us to put things into perspective.”
Stage 3: on Saturday, the team set off again, in confidence, on the attack. Cecilie had won this stage in 2021 and this year Evita finished second, this one seems to be made for the team.
Cédric: “Evita was obviously a little disappointed, at the time, not to take the victory that day, which is completely understandable for a champion as she is. But it’s a very positive result with a second place overall in the event, it’s a hell of a comeback she’s made in the forefront, at the highest level.”
Stage 4: Final stage with the arrival at the summit at more than 1800 meters above sea level, and Evita finally managed to surprise everyone, finishing 3rd at the top of the pass and taking second place overall. Throughout this race she was able to show her qualities and her strength of character. We were waiting for Cecilie, who was also able to respond to the meeting and finished 5th overall. After a long stop in her season due to the Covid, we found a Cecilie who is in the pace and who is coming back to the fore.
Cédric: “We draw a very positive assessment of this race, indeed we were able to bounce back after the fall of Marta. The team works in the form of a collective rather than individuals, we are currently strong and we have a group that works well and working well.”
Evita, looks back on her race:
“I’m super happy with my second place overall and my two stage podiums in the last two stages. To be honest, I didn’t expect to do so well at all. In the last race at Itzulia, I I was a little tough, and it’s true that mentally it was a little more difficult. I had started well on the Ardennes, then I had a little less good during my first stage race in Itzulia. I thought to myself that I shouldn’t panic, especially after the winter I had spent. So yes, of course, I’m super happy with this result and I think that my second place during the 3rd stage m did good mentally, and may have been a trigger.
The girls also did a great job, controlling the breakaways, they really supported me mentally and they believed in me. It did me good too! I didn’t expect to keep this second place overall during the last stage with a hill finish, I’m surprised, and really happy. I think it rewards the work I did after my complicated winter. It’s true that I tried to work hard to catch up. I think I still have a little room for improvement because the objective remains the Tour de France.
This result is already exceptional and it’s really good mentally, because this winter I didn’t know if I was going to be able to resume competitions normally one day, and in the end it’s my best result in a stage race in this level, especially since there were beautiful people in front! It’s a necessarily positive assessment and it gives me self-confidence and even more motivation for the big tours that are coming this summer. I wanted to thank the girls and the staff for this wonderful team!”
Photos par © Sprint Cycling Agency