Lobato (16th) struggled in fast, downhill sprint in Katowice, leaves room to Movistar Team's climbing specialists as they tackle two difficult stages in the Tour de Pologne
A downhill sprint with overwhelming speeds -peaking up to 70 kph into the final kilometer- diminished Juanjo Lobato’s (Movistar Team) chances, more accustomed to fought ones or slightly-uphill bunch kicks, in the marathon stage of this year’s Tour de Pologne: 236km from Tarnów to Katowice, now fully in the south of the country after three days crossing the lowlands.
The Andalusian, helped out by the full telephone squad -especially Amador and a great Malori into the final circuit-, was 16th in another day with no clear domination by neither a rider nor a squad -something constant in this week’s racing-. Belgian Jonas Vangenechten (LTB) narrowly beat Jacopo Guarnieri (AST) for the day’s honours.
Thursday will bring the long-awaited mountains, the double round through the Tatr mountains starting with an incursion into Slovakia. The riders will depart from Zakopane and finish with a triple climb towards Štrbské Pleso for a total 190km, where the Blues will surely shine.