MID-SEASON RECAP: THE HIGHS AND LOWS FOR CANYON EISBERG
THE TOUR IS ON and that means its peak road season. While the UCI continental, Hunt supported team are not toeing the line with the World Tour level outfits, the boys in blue have had a spectacular first half of the season - and even managed to mix it up with the big hitters recently at the British TT Champs. Coming straight from Canyon Eisberg, here is their mid-season recap.
One of the biggest and most recent successes for Canyon Eisberg this year has been from rider Harry Tanfield who positioned second behind Team Sky's Gerant Thomas at the British TT Champs. Tanfield managed to edge out names like Alex Dowsett and Tao Geoghegan. This came off the success where brother, Charlie, took out the u23 title earlier that day.
Taking out the Sprint Series (National Circuit/Crit Series) has been one of the strongest wins for the team. The final round at Salisbury saw Canyon Eisberg clinch the victory from once-dominant Madison Genesis and JLT Condor. It was much needed a maiden title the team and also sports director Tim Elverson.
It hasn't been all champagne shower success for the team. During their most recent trip over to the continent, the team struggled to find their feet in the tough conditions Flander's is renowned for. The Dwars door de Vlaamse Ardennen in Belgium saw Andrew Tennant, Max Stedman and Matt Nowell all have race ending mechanicals on the grueling cobbled climbs which included the famous Oude Kwaremont and Muur van Geraardsbergen.
An action-packed month also featured at the Rás Tailteann – an eight-stage race around Ireland. The route comprised of 1,168km, with a climb-centric focus, as the peloton scaled 34 categorized ascents.
Stedman was the highest-placed finisher for the team in 25th after a brave dig for glory in the finale while taking third in the mountain classification. Rory Townsend and Louis Rose-Davies finished 39th and 41st overall, respectively. Matt Nowell, who abandoned following a third heavy fall, said in disappointment:
"My season was going well to the Ras."
Matt Nowell | Canyon Eisberg Rider
The Tour of the Reservoir brought 28-year-old Jack Pullar to finish in seventh place. This was the first round of the British Cycling Grand Prix Series. The second round at Bristol Grand Prix on Sunday brought Jack the result he has been looking with a strong second.
Looking Forward: Tour of Britain
Being halfway through the season, the team is now looking at their chances of being selected for the Tour of Britain. As a 2.HC event, the peloton for the eight-day race can feature a maximum of 70-per-cent World Tour teams. The other portion will include a handful of invited UCI Professional Continental outfits, a Great Britain squad and four of the seven UK’s UCI Continental teams.
Needless to say, the team have high hopes to be once again selected to start at Britains most prestigious stage race.
