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Matthews Podiums at Tour of California
17 Mai 2012
Rabobank sprinter Michael Matthews dashed to a podium finish in Wednesday’s Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California. The 21-year-old survived the 95-degree heat and six classified climbs to power his way to the front at the end of the longest stage in the weeklong race.
It was another active day for the Rabobank team on the 210km trek south from Sonora to Clovis. Wilco Kelderman joined an 11-man breakaway that lasted much of the day, and after that group was finally caught on the last big climb of the day, Bram Tankink got into a six-rider breakaway that made a go of it in the closing kilometers.
The sprinters’ teams chased down Tankink’s group on the downhill run to the finish line in Clovis, and Rabobank helped position Matthews for the sprint to the line. Facing some of the sport’s fastest men, he powered to third place on his Giant TCR Advanced SL.
Thursday’s stage, a 30-kilometer time trial in Bakersfield, is expected to shake up the General Classification, and that will be followed by back-to-back days in the mountains. The race concludes Sunday in Los Angeles.
It was another active day for the Rabobank team on the 210km trek south from Sonora to Clovis. Wilco Kelderman joined an 11-man breakaway that lasted much of the day, and after that group was finally caught on the last big climb of the day, Bram Tankink got into a six-rider breakaway that made a go of it in the closing kilometers.
The sprinters’ teams chased down Tankink’s group on the downhill run to the finish line in Clovis, and Rabobank helped position Matthews for the sprint to the line. Facing some of the sport’s fastest men, he powered to third place on his Giant TCR Advanced SL.
Thursday’s stage, a 30-kilometer time trial in Bakersfield, is expected to shake up the General Classification, and that will be followed by back-to-back days in the mountains. The race concludes Sunday in Los Angeles.
