Team Garmin-Transitions continued to race well in the Volta a Catalunya. Michel Krederfinished in fifth on a tough stage while Ryder Hesjedal held his spot on the GC. Director sportif Johnny Weltz has the report:
Today was the hardest stage of the race, it started at the bottom of an 8km climb and there were attacks right from the start. We had a group of 21 riders taking off where we had Tom in there.
They were caught after 25km and a new group took off with 13 riders and we had Kreder in it. That group lasted a lot longer and it took some teams all of the strength they had to bring back the break. Once it was caught there were around 50 riders left in the front group.
With 40km to go two riders took off and they were the strongest in the race, lasting to the end.
From behind the front group it got smaller and smaller and over the last climb there was only 20 riders in there. We had Ryder, Kreder and VDV.
Unfortanetly VDV crashed on a very dangerous decent into the finish and lost a minute. Kreder finished on a very strong note, fifth spot on the day and Ryder 14th.
Ryder moved up to sixth on GC, Kreder ninth, and if VDV hasent crashed we would have led the team GC. But still a very good day.
More photos from the Volta a Catalunya:
