TIAGO MACHADO SENSATIONAL IN LA SARTHE
Angers, 5 April 2010 - Team RadioShack’s Tiago Machado (24) was the fastest rider in the time trial of the Circuit Sarthe / Pays de la Loire (France) on Wednesday. Machado powered to the victory two seconds faster than race leader Luis-León Sánchez. Frenchman Anthony Roux finished third. In the classification Machado is second now, eight seconds behind Sánchez. Team RadioShack’s Yaroslav Popovych – leader in the mountains classification and fourth in the time trial - is fourth overall.
The victory came as welcome news to the team after the forced withdrawal of the sick Team leader Lance Armstrong.
“If Lance would have been able to participate, I would have finished second,” commented a delighted Machado. The Portuguese TT champion was very thankful to his Team. “Team Manager Johan Bruyneel gave me a spot in this big Team. Alain Gallopin coached me from the car all the way to the finish and José Azevedo worked so hard with me these last few weeks. I really am not a technical rider. In every corner I lose time, but Azevedo showed me how to improve my technical skills on a TT bike. This is more than I expected. I started with the idea to be able to finish in top ten so this is great. “
Johan Bruyneel added: “This shows that Tiago has the potential to grow as a big Tour rider. He is young, he is a good climber and a good time trialist. Longer and more mountainous time trials are better for him but now he wins a 6.8km flat TT. This is very promising.”
“In the beginning I started out carefully,” added Machado. “I didn’t want to take excessive risks. I need to be good in the (upcoming) Vuelta a Castilla y León and the Tour de Romandie too.”
For Tiago Machado this is his first victory of the season. Earlier this year he finished second in the mountaintop finish stage in the Tour of Algarve and was third overall in the Critérium International.
Result Stage 2b: Angers-Angers (ITT, 6.8 K)
1. Tiago Machado (Team RadioShack) 8:26 (48.336 K/h); 2. Luis-León Sánchez 00/02; 3. Anthony Roux 00:06; 4. Yaroslav Popovych (Team RadioShack) 00:10; 5. Christophe Riblon; 6. Julien Simon 00:11; 7. Rémi Cusin 00:13; 8. Christophe Moreau 00:13; 9. Steve Morabito 00:14; 10. Piet Rooijakkers 00:15
General Classification after Stage 2
1. Luis-León Sánchez; 2. Tiago Machado (Team RadioShack) 00:08; 3. Anthony Roux 00:13; 4. Yaroslav Popovych (Team RadioShack) 00:16; 5. Christophe Moreau 00:18; 6. Christophe Riblon; 7. Julien Simon 00:19; 8. Rémi Cusin 00:21; 9. Steve Morabito 00:22; 10. Laurent Mangel 00:24
The victory came as welcome news to the team after the forced withdrawal of the sick Team leader Lance Armstrong.
“If Lance would have been able to participate, I would have finished second,” commented a delighted Machado. The Portuguese TT champion was very thankful to his Team. “Team Manager Johan Bruyneel gave me a spot in this big Team. Alain Gallopin coached me from the car all the way to the finish and José Azevedo worked so hard with me these last few weeks. I really am not a technical rider. In every corner I lose time, but Azevedo showed me how to improve my technical skills on a TT bike. This is more than I expected. I started with the idea to be able to finish in top ten so this is great. “
Johan Bruyneel added: “This shows that Tiago has the potential to grow as a big Tour rider. He is young, he is a good climber and a good time trialist. Longer and more mountainous time trials are better for him but now he wins a 6.8km flat TT. This is very promising.”
“In the beginning I started out carefully,” added Machado. “I didn’t want to take excessive risks. I need to be good in the (upcoming) Vuelta a Castilla y León and the Tour de Romandie too.”
For Tiago Machado this is his first victory of the season. Earlier this year he finished second in the mountaintop finish stage in the Tour of Algarve and was third overall in the Critérium International.
Result Stage 2b: Angers-Angers (ITT, 6.8 K)
1. Tiago Machado (Team RadioShack) 8:26 (48.336 K/h); 2. Luis-León Sánchez 00/02; 3. Anthony Roux 00:06; 4. Yaroslav Popovych (Team RadioShack) 00:10; 5. Christophe Riblon; 6. Julien Simon 00:11; 7. Rémi Cusin 00:13; 8. Christophe Moreau 00:13; 9. Steve Morabito 00:14; 10. Piet Rooijakkers 00:15
General Classification after Stage 2
1. Luis-León Sánchez; 2. Tiago Machado (Team RadioShack) 00:08; 3. Anthony Roux 00:13; 4. Yaroslav Popovych (Team RadioShack) 00:16; 5. Christophe Moreau 00:18; 6. Christophe Riblon; 7. Julien Simon 00:19; 8. Rémi Cusin 00:21; 9. Steve Morabito 00:22; 10. Laurent Mangel 00:24
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Photos courtesy of CSE Cycling
