Adri van Houwelingen delighted with Team Rabobank’s performance at the Vuelta a Espana 2012
Team Rabobank is currently leading the Vuelta a Espana 2012 team’s classifications after the stage 11 classifications with an impressive lead of almost 2 minutes over Team Sky Procycling.
Team Movistar, Team AG2R La Mondiale and Team Katusha occupy the second, third, fourth and the fifth positions in the respective order.
The Dutch side has rode exceptionally well throughout the race and its current performance at the third and the last Grand Tour of the season is commendable.
Three of its cyclists have managed to squeeze through the top ten contenders list after the stage 11 overall classifications.
Robert Gesink, Laurens Ten Dam and Bauke Mollema all have managed to make it through despite Bauke Mollema’s below average performance during the Individual Time Trial stage.
"It didn’t really start right, because I almost missed a turn in the beginning”,
Rabosport quoted him as saying.
"I recovered well but my chain came off on the climb and I had to switch bikes”.
“I nevertheless regained my focus afterwards, but in the descent I missed a turn and crashed - fortunately nothing serious”.
“After that, I didn’t really feel comfortable on the bike anymore and it was a question of damage control".
Robert Gesink and Laurens ten Dam had a much better day at the 39.4 kilometre Individual Time Trial stage of the event.
Gesink finished 1 minute and 42 seconds behind the race winner Fredrik Wilhelm Kessiakoff of Team Astana with Ten Dam falling further 38 seconds behind at the 20th position.
Team Rabobank’s Sports Director, Adri van Houwelingen was delighted with the team’s performance and hopes that Gesink manages to improve his overall performance to fight for an overall victory at the race.
“We’ve still got three men in the top ten, and the difference between the four best and Robert is not astronomical. That’s not that bad," said van Houwelingen.
The top ten contenders after the Vuelta a Espana stage 11 classifications is as under,
1
Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
40:26:15
2
Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
0:00:01
3
Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling
0:00:16
4
Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
0:00:59
5
Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
0:02:27
6
Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team
0:02:54
7
Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
0:03:39
8
Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - Sharp
0:04:08
9
Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
0:04:22
10
Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
0:05:10
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