Irish Continental team EvoPro Racing has punched well above its weight in recent years. Indeed, given the economic situation in the sport before the pandemic and the crisis that has hit pro cycling since Covid-19 began, the team has done well to even survive.
Last weekend the Irish outfit was in the news - or certainly across social media - for all the wrong reasons when its car was left stricken on its side at Antwerp Port Epic in Belgium.
But the team's management have taken it in their stride. And rather than try to hush it up, they've come out with a full explanation for what happened. And they've clearly been able to keep their sense of humour in the process.
The first thing to note is that the Antwerp Port Epic is an usual race; run over sections of gravel and down very narrow roads or cobbled lanes. So if there is going to be a mishap with a team car falling off a road, this is one of those races where it's most likely to happen.
Advertisement
The team said it was hit with “a series of unfortunate events all in the space of 3km”. First off, the team’s former US champion, Brendan Rhim, crashed - meaning the team car stopped to go to his aid. Once he got going again, the team car happened across one of its other charges in the road, Michael Van Staeyen.
Related News
The Belgian rider, who took victory in Brasschaat last
week, had suffered a puncture. That resulted in Rhim being waved on as Van
Staeyen was tended to. As he was being paced back on, the team car took a sharp
left onto the road seen in the photo; a strip of cobbles with a drop either
side, largely concealed by overgrown grass.
When they turned onto that road, Rhim was stopped again - this time with a flat. However, the commissaire’s car and two neutral service vehicles were also stopped; all with a group of about 15 riders coming up behind the EvoPro Racing team car.
In order to keep out of the way of the approaching
riders, the EvoPro driver pulled slightly to the right to create space in the
road. And with that, the vehicle slid silently down into the ditch, with no
hope of getting it out quickly.
Luckily, with the help of a tow truck, the car was later pulled out. There was no damage whatever done to the vehicle or the bikes on top. So it wasn’t the end of the world and, in fairness to the EvoPro's team personnel, they soon saw the funny side.
The race was won by Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin Fenix), with EvoPro Racing’s best finish – Belgian Stijn Siemons – finishing in 40th place.
Topics
