Eneco Tour (st. 5)
Movistar Team remarks its consistence at Eneco Tour TTT with 4th place in Sittard, just 25" off BMC's pace, two weeks before Doha Worlds. Jasha Sütterlin remains close to top-ten overall (13th), 39" behind Rohan Dennis (BMC)
Stage five of the Eneco Tour confirmed the Movistar Team as one of the arguably four of five squads to take into account in every TTT. Following its magnificent performance in the Vuelta a España -only two tenths of a second away from victory-, the squad directed by 'Chente' and Jaimerena took a promising 4th spot at the course in and around Sittard-Geleen (20.9km), just 25" behind current World champions and victors BMC. The fact that only Imanol Erviti was present at both lineups remarks the fact that the telephone squad is one able to perform strong at all terrains, no matter the squad, as they will seek to improve last year's Worlds TTT bronze come October in Doha.
Serious elevations will come on the weekend, starting with Saturday's 197km from Riemst to Lanaken, with two climbs of Muizenberg and Halembaye plus an additional passage through Trois Fontaines, which Jasha Sütterlin will tackle just off the GC top-ten (13th), 39" behind new leader Rohan Dennis (BMC). In turn, a second group directed by José Luis Laguía -with Amador, Betancur, Lobato, Carapaz, Dayer Quintana, Visconti and Dani / Javi Moreno- will start their duo of classics this weekend with the Giro dell'Emilia.