Cycling: It's not just in Abu Dhabi that professional cyclists are racing at racing speed. In other countries and on other continents, too, people are racing for victories. The two Germans Konrad Gessner (Leopard) in Turkey and Benjamin Stauder (Embrace the World) in Algeria just missed out yesterday.
Gessner convinces right away in his season debut
Konrad Gessner (Leopard) contests the first race for his new employer at the 1st Tour of Antalya. The 22-year-old earned himself the first grade straight away. Only two Italians prevented the additional asterisk. Won the start of the tour Matteo Moschetti (Polartec cometa). Jakub Mareczko (Wilier Triestina Selle Italia). That was allowed Team of Alberto Contador already celebrate their first win of the season. Konrad Gessner will also work towards this over the next three days. The German expressed his disappointment to radsport-news.com, but he was extremely satisfied with the preparation for the sprint.
"In the final we found each other very well and the team delivered one of the best lead-outs I've had so far, right from the first outing together. It's a shame that I couldn't give the team back the win after a great performance. But it definitely gives hope for the next races. A big thank you to the whole team.”
Teammate and compatriot Alexander Krieger also finished eighth. The Austrian Markus Wildauer (Tirol Cycling Team) finished fifth.
Hey, I was still happy. Congratulations… pic.twitter.com/bGa0tliWu9
— feyzi açıkalın (@feyziacikalin) February 22, 2018
Stauder improves from race to race
Already had a few races in his legs Benjamin Stauder (Embrace the World). The 30-year-old rode the Tour International des Zibans over four stages in Algeria at the end of January. There he was once a stage second. Now he collects his kilometers at the Grand Prix International de la ville d'Alger. After tenth place in the prologue and sixth place on the first stage, he now managed to sprint onto the podium. He was only beaten by the two local drivers Yacine Hamza (Groupement Sportif des Petroliers Algerie) and Youcef Reguigui (Sovac-Natura4Ever). A strong performance - even though Benjamin Stauder told radsport-news.com that he wasn't really healthy.
“It was a very long sprint. Actually my final. But I'm not 100 percent fit."