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Emīls Liepiņš started the “Binck Bank” tour for the first time. The prestigious world tour competitions take place on the roads of Belgium and the Netherlands. The tour was originally intended to cover five stages, the second of which was planned as an individual journey on Dutch roads.
“Trek – Segafredo”, represented by Liepiņa, had nominated the world former champion Mads Pedersen as his leader in the plains. This season, Dānis has shown great sprinter skills, gaining triumph also during the Polish tour. Meanwhile, Liepiņš was expected to play a serious role in the team car so that Pedersen would be put in the best possible position.
In the first stage, cyclists completed a 132.1 km long section of the plain. Most of the distance was led by two Belgian pro continental team riders, but 20 kilometers before the finish, both peletons reached. Although several withdrawal efforts followed, the leading sprinter teams managed to neutralize them. Everything decided in the finale of the group. Emīls Liepiņš did an excellent job. His teammates continued his work. There has been a very fierce battle for the position in the last meters.
The fastest in the finish was the Belgian cyclist Jaspers Filipsens (“UAE – Team Emirates”), who overtook “Trek – Segafredo” sprinter Pedersen by hair, and the third was “Bora – Hansgrohe” leader Pascal Akerman. The winner spent 2 hours 59 minutes and 26 seconds in the distance.
Emīls Liepiņš crossed the finish line in 57th position, 40 seconds behind the winner.
The second leg of the tour was canceled on Wednesday morning due to the Covid-19 outbreak near the Dutch capital Amsterdam. The local government introduced a new restriction. The second stage was to cover an individual journey of ten kilometers. The organizers of the competition are actively working to redirect other stages of the tour. However, full certainty as to whether the tours will be successfully completed remains to be seen.
The prestigious world tour classic “La Flèche Wallonne” will take place in the Walloon region of Belgium on Wednesday. The Ardennes classic, rich in many hills and traditionally held in the spring, has gathered a very strong line-up. Among them “Tour de France“overall winner Tadeja Pogačar, third place winner Richie Portti, world championship medalist Mark Hirsch, Mikel Land, Tom Dumulen and others.
Among the participants are also two Latvian athletes who have successfully completed the “Tour de France” – Toms Skujiņš (“Trek – Segafredo”) and Krists Neilands (“Israel Start – Up Nation”). Herringbone has already competed in this competition four times. Last year he finished in 63rd place. For Neiland, this will be his debut.
202 kilometers long in front of the participants with nine more pronounced climbs.
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