“Ropero’s final position doesn’t do justice to the good work that the squad are done”

31º Trofej Poreč / Poreč Trophy
Poreč – Tar (156 km)

The last half kilometer in a slight slope was choked by Alejandro Ropero from Granada, the trump card of the Kometa-Xstra Cycling Team for this Sunday in the Poreč Trophy, and at the end he signed a twenty-ninth place very unfair with the good performance made in the Croatian roads. The victory corresponded to the Dutch cyclist Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma Development Team), slightly out of a hundred riders.

A Poreč Trophy completed at high speed (a final average close to 45 km/h), where there was no lack of escape attempts and where the formations with interests for a sprint finish ended up imposing their law. In this context, the Kometa-Xstra team worked hard to keep Ropero protected. Antonio Puppio was in charge of the last harness in view of the final steep slope.

“The work was fabulous, out of ten, but I didn’t have the best legs and I couldn’t keep up. At the last roundabout, within the last 500 metres, we were in front, around tenth position. But I arrived dead and in those last 500 meters I lost my life and a bit more. It was a pity, even more so because of the great work the team did: all day long they were attentive to the race, waiting for the breaks… In that sense it was a perfect day. The bad thing has been the result. We are still learning and I am sure we will do even better in the Istrian Spring Race”, tells Ropero.

Jesús Hernández, Sporting Director of the Kometa-Xstra: “Last year’s Porec Trophy warned us that it was completely possible that a breakaway formed in the early stages could get away with it and reach the finish line, so it was essential to be aware of this possibility in order to continue having options. We managed this phase of the race very well and we did a very good job both to keep Alejandro Ropero protected and to avoid the race going crazy. Alejandro’s final position does not do justice to this good work. In the Umag Trophy I didn’t like the attitude of the boys and I let them know that, but today they were much better. In just a few days we have a great opportunity to make up for it at the Istrian Spring Trophy”.

(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)