Saxo Bank disappointed with Spring Classics

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Bradley McGee didn't call Team Saxo Bank's Spring Classics campaign a disaster, but he expressed much disapppointment over the team's recent performances. The blow to the team's morale of losing Alberto Contador to a doping ban was followed by the loss of Nick Nuyens with a fractured hip, and the Danish team was unable to accomplish anything in the big races.

The team's best result in the Classics was Matteo Tossato's seventh place in Paris-Roubaix. In the recent Ardennes Classics, Nicki Sorensen was twice the team's top finisher, 16th in Amstel Gold Race and 33rd in Fleche Wallonne, with Karsten Kroon claiming the honours Sunday in Liege-Bastogne-Liege as 25th.

“We are not satisfied with our spring, we've had no victories,” sport director McGee told sporten.dk. “We know there is much work to be done, and it's a long process. We have to accept where we are right now, and then we dig ourselves out of here. The process started long ago, but I am confident that we will get there.”

There is only one direction for the team to go from here, he said. “I think we are at the bottom, so now we can move upwards again.”

Chris Anker Sorensen was sixth last year in Liège, but this year managed only 31st, and although he blamed the cold, wet weather, he knew it was time to stop making excuses. “I hope it will be time soon that we should stop talking about excuses and instead start talking about good results.”

The loss of Nuyens, who last year won the Tour of Flanders, was the biggest factor, according to McGee. The Belgian “was our front man, so it has obviously been of great importance. One must understand how it affects the team, many of the riders we have, had the task of looking after their leader, and that is how they have worked all winter. Suddenly, they have no leader anymore, and then they change focus and it can be difficult.”