Road race and TT champ Brammeier in with a good shout for Olympics
By Graham Healy
Gediminas Bagdonas claimed another win for the An Post-Sean Kelly team today, Wednesday, when he took the 47th edition of the Puivelde Koerse in Belsele, Belgium.
It was the second win of the season for the Lithuanian as he bids to become the first rider since Paul McCormack in 1988 to win back-to-back Ras titles.
Bagdonas was the fastest in the sprint at the end of 169 kilometres today, with Matt Brammeier also showing form by bagging third for his first podium of the season.
The participation of the WorldTour rider in what was a national Belgian event rather than a UCI-ranked race is interesting.
With his Omega Pharma-Quickstep team riding both the Tour of California and Giro at present, Brammeier has not travelled to either race because he has just come back from illness. It means he now has some time on his hands.
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His decision to race a national event today suggests he has been given the green light by his team to pick some of his own races to ride for the next few weeks.
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If he can place in races just above today’s level – that is, in UCI 1.1 or 1.2 events - in the next fortnight he will score points under Cycling Ireland’s selection criteria for the Olympics before the window for scoring closes on May 31st.
There were no qualification points on offer today because the race was not UCI ranked.
Nonetheless, on the basis of his third place today Brammeier clearly has some gallop in his legs, boding very well for his chances of gathering those qualification points towards getting to London.
Today was the last outing for the An Post-Sean Kelly team prior to travelling to Ireland for the Ras start on Sunday, with a second selection riding the Tour of Belgium.
The team showed their dominance today as they finished four riders in the top 10. Another of Ireland’s Olympic hopefuls, Sam Bennett was also listed amongst the finishers in 36th place from 129 starters. He will be looking to the Ras to score the qualification points that might get him to London.
Puivelde Koerse 196km
Results
1.Gediminas Bagdonas (An Post-Sean Kelly) 3:49:00
2. Matthias Allegaert (Ovyta - Eijssen Acrog)
3. Matt Brammeier (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
4. Jetse Bol (Rabobank Cycling Team)
5. Niels Wytinck (An Post-Sean Kelly) @ 1 sec
6. Dieter Vanthourenhout; (BKCP-Powerplus)
7. Clément Lhotellerie (Colba - Superano Ham) @ 2 secs
8. Niko Eeckhout; (An Post-Sean Kelly)
9. Steven Caethoven (Accent.jobs – Willems Veranda’s) @3 secs
10. Stijn Ennekens; (An Post-Sean Kelly)
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