Despite not having one of the top sprinters, NetApp-Endura completely dominated the finale of the Brussels Cycling Classic. In the end, the great lead-out paid off as young Ralf Matzka sprinted to a fine top 10.

At the 94th Brussels Cycling Classic last year’s winner Andre Greipel (Lotto Belsiol) was able to repeat his victory. On the ascending home strait towards the Brussels Atomium, the 32-year-old triumphed ahead of Elia Viviani (Cannondale) and Arnaud Demare (FDJ.fr) in a mass sprint. After 202 kilometers Ralf Matzka was able to round off the good preparatory work of Team NetApp-Endura with a strong eighth place.

“Once a six-man breakaway group had formed after around 30 kilometers, the race was very controlled. It was then clear that, in all probability, it would all come down to a mass sprint. Our aim was to tackle the sprint to Ralf’s advantage. The boys managed to do this really well with a text-book lead out to the final five kilometers. The finale was not quite so easy, because the final 1000 meters were consistently uphill. It was therefore all the more important that we helped dictate the tempo. Given the level of these world-class sprinters, we can be very satisfied with the top-ten result”, summarized Andre Schulze, Sport Director of Team NetApp-Endura.

The mountain-hardened classics hunters won’t have to wait long for the chance to avenge today’s defeat though, as tomorrow’s GP de Fourmies, with its nine Cotes, will present a markedly similar route profile to today’s race.