Synergy Baku Cycling Project successes in Irish race
By Nigar Orujova
Cyclist Markus Eibegger has won the mountaintop finish of the sixth stage of the An Post Ras, Azerbaijan Cycling Federation reported.
This was another victory in the second stage for the Synergy Baku Cycling Project at the Irish UCI 2.2 Race held on May 18-25.
As a member of an early break group, Austrian professional road bicycle racer Eibegger managed to stay away until the end, attacking in the last 500 meters to take his second win for the Azerbaijani team this season.
Eibegger was in fourth place going into Sunday's stage but ended up in 19th. He rode aggressively, fighting hard to hold on to his place at the front of the action.
"The race went on as we had planned, with Connor McConvey as the first winner and Markus as the next one," said sport director David McCann.
"I knew that he would win with his fantastic legs when he
decided to leave the 9-man group and push on ahead into such a
headwind. But to win by just 6 second was amazing!" he
exclaimed.
Team manager David McQuaid noted that Markus was included in the
Ras team in last minutes.
"The recent Tour d'Azerbaijan was his season goal but everything went wrong there. Because of his good legs I just didn't want him to go home. So, when there was a vacancy, we included him immediately. It was he who must made the decision. After his defeat, he accepted the situation maturely and went ahead with the new team," he said.
According to McQuaid, GC was not the focus of Markus here. "His main goal was the stage win, because he has had two hard tours behind in Brittany and Azerbaijan."
"To take him for GC was both realistic and unfair for the rider who was supposed to be at home with his family resting for the June races," he said.
"The loss of time allowed Markus to concentrate on those stage victories, and I think the race saw his strength in depth. I can only take my hat off to the rider, a truly inspirational ride and victory," McQuaid underlined.