ERJA EARNS TOP 5 AROUND EIJSDEN

In a large bunch sprint on a narrow, cobbled finishing straight, CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation rider Erja Bianchi was right in the mix, crossing the line 5th to conclude a relentlessly demanding NXT Classic.

The UCI 1.2 event, raced over eight laps of a never-flat, never-straight circuit in Eijsden near Maastricht (the Netherlands), is one that can suit a variety of rider types. It’s fiercely contested by talented up-and-coming riders, offering a valuable opportunity to earn a breakthrough result.

Having already scored a win two weeks ago at a national level kermesse in Belgium, Erja, in her first season out of the elite ranks, is wasting no time in demonstrating her own immense potential.

The 18-year-old Italian found today’s short but punchy 116km course, with 1313m of elevation, a real challenge – at times even doubting whether she would make it to the finish. Nevertheless, she dug deep, gritted her teeth, and was wonderfully rewarded for her efforts with a scarcely believable top-five result.

Speaking after the race, an overjoyed Erja said:

“Honestly, I’m really excited and satisfied with this result. I didn’t need to be participating here, because I could have instead concentrated on the more suitable races for me. I thought it was a hard and stressful course, and I wasn’t sure of my ability to do well.”

“I managed to hold on during the climbs by giving them just enough effort. As a team we wanted to have an aggressive race and attack, especially in the second part of the race. My teammates were very good and super strong, always in front to take control of the race.”

“Finding myself there with the group of the best riders on the last lap, I believed in my abilities and focussed on the final sprint. My teammates put themselves totally at my disposal so I could stay at the front – thank you very much to them indeed! In the end, I moved through well and I found a great position for the sprint. I got my first top five in a UCI race and after the finish, I didn’t really believe it! Today, we were always up-front and always together – I’m so proud of how this group is growing.”

Erja’s teammate, Weronika Wąsaty, finished in 18th position and was also thrilled with how the race went.

“Today’s race went really well. I think as a team we did a great job – we followed the breakaways, and we also attacked. I felt strong today, also with positioning as I could move myself easily in the peloton. I’m really happy about that, and we’re all happy because Erja achieved a 5th place – we really enjoyed that race. Jule [Märkl] was a great captain today; she did a really good job with positioning in the peloton, but had a crash in the last lap. Hopefully she will be okay and ready for the next race.”

Team Generation can take a breather and watch the eagerly awaited Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday, before turning their focus to Ronde de Mouscron on Monday, April 6. Monaliza Araya Chneslasie will join the squad from NXT Classic, completing the seven-rider line-up. After her crash, Jule Märkl is okay, although team staff will continue to monitor her and assess her readiness for upcoming races.