No leading role for the Rabo ProTeam in the Tour of Lombardy. Robert Gesink had a bad day and was unable to hang on in the finale. The other youngsters also had no good legs anymore at the end of the season. Three Rabos showed themselves in the course. Koos Moerenhout and Paul Martens were part of an early escape and Pieter Weening finished in the group with favorites, half a minute behind Damiano Cunego, who repeated his 2007 stunt.

Team manager Erik Breukink did not waste many words on it after the course. "No it was not superb today, but we are not being overly dramatic about it. Robert Gesink hardly had any bad days during the season. He had one today. That just happens," knew Breukink. The other young talents could not make up for the captain's bad day. "The other guys were simply done for. Bauke Mollema also had no good legs left."

Robert Gesink had signaled to his team manager during the race already that he was not feeling good. "Then you know that you are probably not going to play a role in the finale," said a somewhat sad Breukink. Pieter Weening was the only rider who was able to find a spot in the group of favorites. Breukink: "Pieter hardly raced in the spring due to an injury. I am not surprised that he was in best shape today. Pieter did well, but he missed the explosiveness to perform in the finale in such a strong group."

For a moment at the start of the race it looked good for a moment for the Rabo team. The team had a decent representation in an escape of thirty five in Koos Moerenhout and Paul Martens. The group of thirty five thinned out to eleven men and the two Rabo riders were not amongst them. The eleven did color the race. They gained a ten-minute lead, but could not withstand the joint control of Lampre en Lotto. Damian Cunego's team decided the race impressively in the finale.

---

More: