Gerald Ciolek (MTN-Qhunkea) on the Muur(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gerald Ciolek (MTN Qhubeka)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Etixx-Quick Step and MTN-Qhubeka share the work at the front(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Tinkoff-Saxo, Mtn-Qhubeka and Etixx-Quick Step driving the pace(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
After winning the two opening stages at the Tour of California this week, Mark Cavendish is making bunch sprinting look easy. MTN-Qhubeka hasn’t had that same success in the American stage race so far but not for a lack of trying. Gerald Ciolek spoke with Cyclingnews about how difficult setting up a lead-out and finishing the race off with a victory actually is.
“It’s always difficult to get the team going and to find the way that it works… we are still working on that,” Ciolek said. “You always watch other teams in the final but it’s more about getting your own team together and thinking about what your own team is doing.”
Tyler Farrar was eighth on the opening stage in Sacramento and eight again on the second stage that finished on the streets of Lodi. With two potential sprint stage still to come; stage 4 in Avila Beach and stage 8 in Pasadena, Ciolek is hoping his team can pull off that elusive bunch sprint stage win.
