Photo Credit: Will Palmer/SWpix.com

The rolling hills of the Scottish Borders saw a hotly contested reduced sprint at the Tour of Britain this afternoon where Team DSM worked brilliantly together to set up Cees Bol for the finale; with the Dutchman powering to a sprint victory, taking the win by the smaller of margins.

A steady day of racing over the notoriously grippy Scottish roads saw the peloton catch the breakaway ahead of the three categorised climbs in the closing 30 kilometres. Riding well as a unit, the team looked after each other and kept hidden in the bunch; especially as they turned into a headwind after the first climb. The headwind wouldn’t deter all the potential attackers and going over the final ascent, Team DSM sprung into action to close down a dangerous and strong group. Peeling off one-by-one on the fast run home, the team delivered a superb lead out to bring Bol forward and hold him in a good position before he then followed the wheels in the closing 300 metres. Powering out of the slipstream, Bol stamped on the pedals and threw his bike to the line. Not immediately knowing if he had won, a nervous few minutes awaited before the team erupted in celebrations; taking a brilliant win in Duns.

Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

“The team did a super good job to bring me over the hills and get me into a good position for the sprint after bringing the attackers back,” expressed a smiling Bol after the stage. “Then in the last 300 metres I was fighting for a good wheel and then just want all out to the line, throwing the bike. It’s great to take the win. I had to fight really hard for it on the tailwind section; I was really on the limit there. We knew we turned into a headwind so that was my focus and I kept believing in it, and then in the headwind it was easier on the climbs. There are a few more possible sprints but also some climbing days that suit the other guys here on the team. We’re all super motivated for the next stages.”

Team DSM coach Pim Ligthart added: “We had a plan to protect Cees today and then bring him into the final for the sprint and all the guys did a super job. If we were then over the last KOM in a good spot then we wanted to take initiative in the finale and that’s exactly what we did; starting the lead out and controlling the peloton. Cees then gave his all in the sprint and won it in the photo finish. It’s a super nice result for the guys and gives us confidence for the coming days.”

Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com