EvoPro Racing came very close to taking its first win of the 2021 season today when Cyrus Monk was just beaten for victory on stage 3 of Belgrade Banjaluka (2.1).
The former U23 Australian road race champion was pipped on the line by Austrian rider Daniel Auer, who took the win for WSA KTM Graz.
While the terrain on the 124km stage from Bijeljina to Vlasenica was harder than the opening two stages, with a brace of climbs before the finish on the circuit, those ascents did not prove hard enough to split the front of the race.
However, that run-in meant the bunch was whittled right down and numbered just 35 riders before it swept into the finish to settle the honours. Auer took it from Monk and former WorldTour rider Mihkel Räim (Mazowsze Serce Polski), who was racing with Israel Start-Up Nation last year.
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While Monk's 2nd place was a good result for the Irish Continental team, the Australian will have been disappointed not to take victory as the team won three of the four stages two years ago, via Aaron Gate and Wouter Wippert.
However, Monk was very close today and will fancy his chances if he gets another run at the line in the final stage tomorrow or in the weeks ahead on the roads of Europe.
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Thanks to his result today, and because the race split to pieces behind what remained of the peloton, Monk is now up to 5th overall. EvoPro also took 5th and 6th on the opening two stages with Belgian rider Michael Van Staeyen.
Irish international Michael O'Loughlin is in the EvoPro Racing line-up this year and is riding in this race. The Carrick-on-Suir man has been to the fore in trying to set up his sprinters as he rides himself into form following the Covid19-hit season last year. O'Loughlin finished in 77th place today, in a group 4:47 down.
Limerick's Stephen Clancy is making his season debut at Belgrade Banjaluka for Novo Nordisk and he was 133rd today at just over 10 minutes down.
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