Superweek Stage 2: Freund Takes Second in Geneva

Ryan Freund finished second in front of a hometown crowd at a tough day two of Superweek. Freund and Texas Roadhouse rider John Grant, who finished fourth, were the only two Americans to crack the top six.

Freund and the entire team rode aggressive from the start as the Geneva course featured a tight section through turns two, three and four that quickly made life miserable for riders at the back. Several groups rolled off early until eventually a group of 12 separated from the main field. Freund attacked several times but it wasn’t until he had the right mix of breakaway companions, namely a representative from Garneu, Texas Roadhouse and the Colombian National team- who each had two riders in the group of 12- that Freund was able to get away. Freund escaped with Grant, Passeron (a former Tour De France and Paris-Nice rider now on Garneu), and Carlos Ospina from Colombia. The four went on to lap the field before the halfway point of the race and then their teams went to the front to bring back the other eight riders who were still dangling half a lap up.

Once the race came all back together the fireworks began as the four leaders tried to escape one another. Another split of 10 riders went off the front again with Grant missing out. He and his teammates went to the front but the lead group contained two Garneu riders, two Colombians, Freund and five other riders now racing for 5th through 10th and they worked well together to maintain their lead. Freund knew he needed to isolate his two rivals, Passeron and Ospina, from their teammates and attacks began again in earnest with 15 laps remaining. With about 10 laps to go, despite cramping up and stretching through every other turn, Freund managed to escape again with just Passeron and Ospina, insuring it would just be a three man fight to the line.

Going into the closing laps the three riders showed the effects of two and a half hours of racing 73 laps of the tight 6-corner course. There worked steadily and didn’t attack one another. The final lap almost resembled a match sprint as they cautiously eye one another, waiting to open the sprint until the final 200 meters. It was Passeron coming first into the final turn with a healthy gap to the line and Freund just getting Ospina for second place by a mere inch and a half.

On the podium all the riders thanked the great crowd in Geneva, who had nothing but positive things to say about this first-year event.

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