After a hard stage where we lost Emily and Eva the team was set for another stage in Setmana Ciclista Valenciana. This one might be for the sprinters so that was the plan. DS Kelvin Dekker explains:
The climb proved harder than we hoped. A breakaway rode clear and we got time to recover. We had a clear plan and the girls executed it to perfection.
The plan was to set up Charlotte Kool for the sprint but the breakaway of three and later two riders managed to stay clear. So it was all about the bunch sprint for third place where Chjarlotte came in fourth: a sixth place on the day!
The faith the girls and kelvin put in me gives me power and confidence. After the two riders stayed clear we started focusing on our plan. The final 15 kilometres were riddled with roundabouts so we needed our sprint train early. Everyone was on the exact spot they needed to be at the right time. I just had to follow. My timing was a bit off in the final but that’s something to learn from. I am hugely thankful to the team. This was teamwork in its purest form. They gave everything they had for me.
Kelvin Dekker is proud of the first top 10 of the season and is optimistic for what is still to come.
We only started using the sprint train this week. To see how well the riders pick it up and already executed it very well today gives me great confidence for the season ahead.