Robert Förster 4th in Aggressive Stage 2 at Tour of Oman

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team stamped their mark all over an extremely aggressive stage 2 today at the Tour of Oman. Cloudy skies set the stage for what turned out to be an outstanding performance from the Blue Train. The team’s goals for today were clear: first, to be present in the breakaway should it succeed and preclude a sprint finish, and Second, to fine-tune the legendary Blue Train lead out, and put Robert Förster in the best possible position in the race’s final meters.

robert-forster-oman — Photo Credit: epicimages.us

With focus and determination, all went according to plan when rider Aldo Ilesic made his way into to a promising three-man breakaway early in the stage. Aldo and the escapees powered on throughout the 130-kilometer stage, at one point gaining an advantage greater than seven minutes on the chasing peloton. Once realizing that the breakaway would not succeed to the finish, Ilesic returned to his teammates within the remaining 25 kilometers, making him available to contribute to the team’s sprint effort. Ilesic, Jones, Bazzana, and Murphy regrouped in the final kilometers, each rider sacrificing himself into a brutal headwind and delivering Robert Förster to sprint for an impressive 4th place among the fastest sprint trains in the world.

Sporting Director Roberto Damiani commented on the team’s performance, “We had a very productive team meeting last night and set clear objectives on how to improve upon our stage 1 performance. Today, I saw a very determined team execute our goals- we were present in the breakaway and worked very well together in the final sprint, delivering Robert just off the podium.” The level of competition in Oman is top tier, and the riders of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team have proven once again that they are able to adapt and execute, making the team a true podium threat at the highest level.

All Photo Credit: epicimages.us

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Roster for the 2014 Tour of Oman