ProTeam Milan Menten sprints to strong fifth place in Rund um Köln
Heading into the final, Lotto still had four riders in front. Brent Van Moer, the young Victor Vaneeckhoutte, newly joined Lotto Cycling Team rider Toon Aerts, and Milan Menten were all active in the final kilometers. “The team did a great job positioning me,” Milan Menten reflected. “With one kilometer to go, on the bridge, we got a bit boxed in, which meant I had to find my own way forward. All the sprinters were really on the limit. Looking back, I should have thrown myself into the sprint a bit more. Then I might have even finished fourth.”
Menten eventually secured a fine fifth place. Sports director Nikolas Maes commented: “We showed ourselves as a team and executed a strong race plan. Toon Aerts, who was riding with us for the first time today, also had a great race. He was able to show his value right away, which is a boost for him and for us.”
Arnaud De Lie made his return to competition in Rund um Köln after six weeks of absence. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as hoped. De Lie had to abandon the race early, an unfortunate outcome for the team leader who had worked hard in recent weeks to make his comeback. The team will now re-evaluate what went wrong and see where the approach might need to be adjusted.
Picture: Brecht Steenhouwer
