<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">XDS Astana Team rider Max Kanter won the Belgian one-day race Gooikse Pijl p/b Lotto.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Despite a large number of attacks throughout the race, the race ultimately came down to a mass sprint. Max Kanter opened his sprint 200 meters from the finish and managed to take the victory.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">For XDS Astana Team, this is already the 28th victory of the current season, while for Kanter it is his second success after winning Stage 2 of Paris-Nice.<blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">“This week in Belgium was quite difficult. I was coming back after a long break, and I didn’t feel too good in Wednesday’s first race, so I had to stop after half the distance. Yesterday was much better, and honestly, I regained confidence in my abilities. The race was difficult, we didn’t manage to make it into the decisive breakaway, but I felt better and better in the group, and I had a certain amount of confidence in the sprint, so I was looking forward to today’s race. Of course, we expected today’s race to end in a sprint, but it turned out to be a very difficult day. There were many attacks that we had to cover. In the second half of the race, both Mike Teunissen and I had to follow attacks and make moves into breakaways, while keeping the potential sprint in mind. In the finale, Mike brought me to the one-kilometer mark, and then I started riding my own race and looking for a position. Later, Nikiforos (Arvanitou) came through on the left and brought me to the front with 250 meters to go, after which I started my sprint and finished it with the victory. I’m happy that we managed to finish this week with a success for our entire team. Ahead of me is the final part of the season in China – the one-day race in Hong Kong and the Tour of Guangxi”, – said Max Kanter.</blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Photo credit: ©SprintCycling

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Max Kanter – winner of Gooikse Pijl

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">XDS Astana Team rider Matteo Malucelli has won the General Classification of the Chinese stage race Tour of Taihu Lake for the second consecutive year, with the race finishing today.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Malucelli won three stages and finished second once, which secured his overall victory. In addition to the General Classification, Matteo Malucelli also won the points classification.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The final stage ended in a sprint, with another XDS Astana Team rider, Gleb Syritsa, crossing the finish line first. However, following a decision by the race commissaires, Syritsa was relegated from the stage victory for deviating from his line during the sprint. Nevertheless, Gleb Syritsa finished third overall in the final General Classification.<blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">“The main goal has been achieved. We came here with a clear objective – to fight for victory in the General Classification, and thanks to the coordinated efforts of the whole team, I managed to win the race for the second consecutive year. The entire team was outstanding, every rider gave 100%, and I think that every day we successfully proved that we were the strongest team in this race. It is a great pity that Gleb was relegated today. The team once again rode a brilliant stage, everything was done perfectly, and Gleb produced a powerful sprint. He performed at the highest level throughout the week and deserved the victory. But the commissaires saw it differently. Nevertheless, we are finishing the Tour of Taihu Lake in a positive mood, taking home the overall leader’s jersey and the points jersey. And I’m happy that Gleb secured third place in the overall standings”, – said Matteo Malucelli.</blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Photo credit: ©Tour of Taihu Lake

Max Kanter – winner of Gooikse Pijl Read more

Matteo Malucelli – winner of the Tour... Read more

Max Kanter – winner of Gooikse Pijl

Matteo Malucelli – winner of the Tour...