CYCLING – BAHRAIN Victorious secured the second win of the season as Matevz Govekar sprinted to victory on Stage 2 of the Tour of Antalya (Demre-Antalya, 140.5km). Govekar’s impeccable performance sees the team on the podium again, following Alberto Bruttomesso’s third-place finish in the opening stage.
The stage presented a challenging climb midway through the route, posing a test for the peloton. Despite the possibility of a reduced bunch sprint, Bahrain Victorious remained strategic and patient, ultimately executing their plan flawlessly as Govekar stormed to his second victory in a TBV jersey, ahead of Van Rooy (Bingoal WB) and Lonardi (Polti Kometa).
Expressing his joy after the win, Govekar stated, “I’m thrilled with this victory. It was planned to go for this stage, as I knew that it suited me really well because of the long and hard climbing in the middle of the stage.
“The team worked well; we were patient and waited following the attacks. I did my best in the sprint, and I’m super happy I could finish this one.”
Sports director Enrico Poitschke lauded the team’s collective effort, emphasising the challenges faced during the stage. “It’s always so nice to see the guys winning; it doesn’t matter which level. Especially for Matevz, I’m very happy that he won the race.
“The race was harder than yesterday: there were many more climbing meters, and the first climb started after 48km. At that moment, our bigger guys, who also had to work on the first flat 40km to control the race, started struggling. Only Matevz, Edoardo, and Finley stayed in the first group, while all the others dropped. We stayed calm and let other teams control the race.”
Poitschke highlighted the team’s resilience and tactical prowess, navigating a demanding course and ensuring Govekar was well-positioned for the decisive sprint.
Looking ahead to the next stage, Poitschke expressed optimism, stating, “Tomorrow is a climbing stage, and we will try our best with Edoardo and Finlay.”
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