Astana Pro Team to focus on Binck Bank Tour final stages

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - At stage 3 of the Binck Bank Tour, the day's breakaway made it to the finish line, with the Astana riders finishing in and behind the bunch sprint of the peloton. Dutch rider Taco van der Hoorn won the stage, Matej Mohoric is the new leader of the stage race, Kazinform has learnt from the club's press service. 

"We decided not to try to get in today's breakaway, as we were hoping for a bunch sprint. But at the end, our sprinter Riccardo Minali was not feeling very good today so we waited in the peloton. The breakaway made it to the finish line, but for us it's more important that Michael Valgren is feeling good and that Magnus Cort is recovering. Our focus is on the final two stages of this Binck Bank Tour, and we're looking forward to try something on these days," sports director Bruno Cenghialta.

The riders had to cover 174.9 kilometers from Aalter to Antwerp, and where everyone expected a bunch sprint in the streets of Antwerp, a breakaway of five riders took off and made it all the way to the finish line. The peloton tried to close the gap, but they finished more than one minute behind winner Taco van der Hoorn. Because Stefan Kung was in this peloton, he lost his GC lead to Matej Mohoric. Michael Valgren, Magnus Cort and Andrey Grivko finished in the peloton, the other Astana riders dropped from the peloton in the final and finished behind the pack.

Another flat day tomorrow, but again no guarantee for a bunch sprint. Stage 4 will be a 165.5-kilometer-long stage from Blankenberge to Ardooie.