For the first time in his career Team Katusha's Marco Haller won the Austrian pro title after a hard and selective race in Güssing. After 192 kilometers Haller finished 12 seconds ahead of Matthias Krizek (Team Felbermayr - Simplon Wels) and 1 minute 16 ahead of Bora - Argon 18's Daniel Schorn.
- I am very happy with this title. I won many youth titles but just a pro title counts. This is my first pro title. It is especially nice to me as I won the race after a real elimination race. I am a sprinter, but I didn't want to take the risk to wait for the sprint. I felt all-day-long good legs. Already early in the race I was in a group of 14 riders. We stayed in the front. Every lap some riders dropped. In the end we started the penultimate lap with just four riders left. That's when I attacked on the penultimate climb. It was the right moment and nobody was able to chase me down, - said winner Marco Haller.
It was a hard and windy race with four steep climbs in every lap. Marco Haller proved to be in the right shape to start next week in the Tour de France.
- I am really happy and so proud to show the national jersey in the biggest race in the world. Team Katusha can count on me in France, - concluded Marco Haller.
Photo credit: (c) Radsportfotos.at
