UAE Team Emirates' Marco Marcato finishes 18th at Paris Roubaix

David Cooper - Writer 14:24 09/04/2018
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  • UAE Team Emirates’ Marco Marcato achieved a season-best performance in the cobble classics after finishing 18th at Paris Roubaix on Sunday.

    It was a formidable result for the Italian having improved on his 49th-place showing at the Tour of Flanders last week.

    World champion Peter Sagan left his rivals in the dust after a break from 55km out saw him clinch a first victory in northern France.

    The 28-year-old Slovak outsprinted Silvan Dillier, the last survivor from an earlier break, in the velodrome in Roubaix after 5hrs 54mins 06sec in the saddle.

    It was a commendable performance nonetheless from Marcato, who said: “I like this race and I had enthusiasm, and the right strength to confront the race from the start to the end.

    “I was able to stay with the front riders even when the best riders were attacking on the Mons en Pévèle sector. Maybe I paid a little bit from the effort I made catching the group after I had punctured.”

    It was also a positive day for his UAE team-mate Sven Erik Bystrom who completed the 257km course in 26th place – ahead of Yves Lampaert, Arnaud Demare and Tony Martin.

    The Norwegian said: “To be in the main escape in my first ride in Paris-Roubaix was a fantastic experience, also considering to make that move we spent a lot of energy in the first hour of the race.

    “On the pavé, I had good feelings. I don’t know at this point, based on this ride, if I can come back and build a future in this big and important race.”

    Meanwhile, team leader Alexander Kristoff had to settle for 57th place, after being caught in a crash with 40 kilometres remaining.

    The reigning European champion, who finished in the top-10 in 2013 and 2015, said: “My Paris-Roubaix unfortunately ended when Tony Martin crashed in the middle of the group and I finished on the ground.

    “Going at 60km an hour, I hit my back hard on the ground and I waited a few minutes for the pain to pass. I was able get going, though, and make it to the finish, but the top riders were already far off.”

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