Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team was in good position to contest another bunch sprint at the end of the 150km Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey Stage 2 on Monday. However, one incident removed the chances of most in the peloton to go for a stage victory.
A crash at the front of the field with 1km to go — after the peloton brought the race back together at the 10km to go point — took out many of the riders going for the sprint and caught even more behind the fallen riders.
OPQS was immediately behind the riders who went down, including Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) and Mark Renshaw (Blanco ProCycling Team). The few riders lucky to avoid the carnage decided the stage. Aidis Kruopis (Orica-GreenEDGE) won, with Marco Coledan(Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox) 2nd and Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) 3rd.
Frantisek Rabon did fantastic work pulling the leadout train into position inside the final kilometers, and then Michal Golas, Iljo Keisse, and Gert Steegmans were left to deliver Fenn to the sprint. The crash, however, prevented Fenn from getting to that point.
"There were some scratches, but fortunately we were without serious consequence," Sport Director Rik Van Slycke said. "We had Gert and Andy in 6th and 8th position right behind the riders who fell. They went down as well quite early, but luckily there was minimal damage. It's sad after the great work we did to set up Fenn, but that is how it is with sprinting. We can't change it. But the main thing is we tried to make our leadout more fine tuned and that is what we did, both yesterday and today. So, we are happy with that. We will do our best again tomorrow for a good result."