The Swiss rider from Groupama-FDJ went all out in the finale of the Belgian classic
While applause rose from the Groupama-FDJ bus to celebrate Romain Grégoire's victory at the Faun Ardèche Classic in France, Stefan Küng was about to seal a historic double for the team at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad .
The Swiss rider tried to overturn the odds with a solo attack in the final, being caught only one kilometre from the finish line when the dream seemed possible.
' Unfortunately the route was a kilometre too long, but I had to try .'Kung commented after arriving
The Swiss time trialist's attempt was the only real move to avoid the bunch sprint, defying the headwind and the unwritten laws of the race.
'I was alone and attacking like that was a gamble, but I was where I wanted to be, I tried to play for the victory'Küng praised the work of his teammates who always kept him in the ideal positions to try the surprise move in the final:
' I'm proud of the team. We stayed calm knowing that the race would be decided after the Molenberg , and that gave me the chance to attack at full speed .'
Despite the final mockery, the Swiss looks with confidence to the next classics : the change in winter preparation seems to be bearing fruit and the powerful attack 8 km from the finish is confirmation of this. The hunt for the great classic continues.
Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency
