Following on from their successful campaign at La Vuelta, the Aqua Blue Sport team is now focused on an end of season block of racing in France and Belgium.
The team took a stunning victory on Stage 17 of the Spanish race when Stefan Denifl soloed to victory on Alto de Los Machucos for the team’s first Grand Tour victory.
Beyond that success the team impressed with their performances throughout the race with a podium for Adam Blythe and multiple attacks and breakaways drawing attention to the squad.
The roll in to Madrid was an emotional one but a realisation that Aqua Blue Sport can compete on the biggest of stages. Now the focus shifts to the end of season block with a week of races in Belgium and France.
Events start in West Belgium, in one of Aqua Blue Sport’s favourite racing area of Flanders. The 1.1 ranked Omloop Eurometropool begins the campaign on September 30th. The team have had some success in the area in the past with a podium for Lasse Norman Hansen. The race starts in Nieuwpoort and takes a 180 kilometre journey to Poperinge.
The event is part of a two day festival of cycling that straddles the Flemish/Walloon border. Eurometropole Tour, on October 1st, is a race in the French speaking region with a start in La Louviere and journey across challenging peaks to Tournai. It is at the higher status of a 1HC.
The Binche-Chimay-Binche Mémorial Frank Vandenbroucke, is the next on the list on October 3rd. The race takes place in the Walloon region in the cities of Binche and Chimay, located in the Hainaut province of Belgium.
The team then has a short break until October 8th when they head for France to take part in the iconic Paris-Tours. The race has been an almost consistent presence on the calendar since 1896 and travels through the Chevreuse and Loire valleys. The course will more than likely generate a sprint fest.
The race will be the finale for Aqua Blue Sport’s first season and then the focus will turn to the exciting prospect of their second season.
Stephen Moore, General Manager, said the team are now set to take on the finale with the same aggressive passion as the preceding season.
He said: “This season has been an incredible experience. It has been a visceral and dynamic debut for the team. The year is coming to an end but the chances are there to get a win and we will do everything we can to achieve that. These races will give us a very good chance to show the Aqua Blue Sport colours again. Then as we put the bikes back in the truck and send the riders to their off-season holidays, we will meet and put the plan in place for 2018. We already can’t wait to see what the new year brings for us.”
