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Madison Genesis rider Jonathan McEvoy thinks Saturday’s hilly stage at the Tour of Britain is the team’s best chance of scoring a top ten result.
Today’s stage of the race runs from Hemel Hempstead to Cheltenham and takes in two third category climbs and a second category climb of Cleeve Hill 9km from the finish.
McEvoy was responsible for the team’s best result so far in the race finishing 24th in the sprint on stage four won by Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors).
Rider Johnny McEvoy told CW before the start: “It definitely suits us better with the climbs towards the end rather than the flat stages. We’ll look [for a result] in the finish today but first of all we’ll get in the break.”
>>> ‘For a breakaway to stick at the Tour of Britain it would have to be a lucky day’
However, despite a start under blue skies there are thunder storms forecast for the finish and McEvoy admitted that that could change how the race is ridden.
He added that the team’s chances of success had been dented by the loss of a key rider following a crash yesterday. “It was a big loss to lose Matt Holmes. He’s got really good form but he just crashed.
“It was a really fast straight road with speed bumps. The rain was coming down hard and I couldn’t see much as I had my glasses on, but the next thing I saw was him on the floor, I think he slid for a while he’s OK and no one else came down,” he said.
McEvoy said that so far the race, which is the biggest of the year for the Continental-level British team, had been a success with presence in the breakaway most days.
“The crowds seem to get bigger every year. Cav, [Philippe] Gilbert everyone there’s of good riders. It’s good to be in it,” he said.
