"I’m shaking my head here" - Frustration for Sam Welsford on BORA - hansgrohe debut at Down Under Classic

It wasn't to be for Sam Welsford on his debut for BORA - hansgrohe at the Down Under Classic this Saturday. The Aussie sprinter having to settle for 15th on the day.

“We did what we could. There was, I would say, six teams not present [in the chase] that had a sprinter on the start line, so the question remains why they didn’t ride, why they didn’t help," BORA - hansgrohe sports director, Bernie Eisel told GCN post-race. “We did what we could, then ran out of people. Well played by the other teams but then you also have to bring it to the line, and if they are happy to sprint for seventh, then… There’s always a first in the Down Under Classic, and that’s never happened before, so a very strange race I would say.”

Riding in front of his home crowd, Welsford would have had big expectations of an early success. Now though, there is arguably added pressure on the 27-year-old heading into the Tour Down Under. “We have our strategy and we stick to that plan. If they continue being happy just finishing seventh and let the break get to the finish, then let it be, but we do our plan. I have to say it’s a little bit frustrating, I’m shaking my head here, because it was an hour effort, everybody was waiting to start the season. I’ve never seen it before,” Eisel continues. 

Nevertheless, he remains optimistic with his views of the Welsford leadout train. “We see it here, they’re all still here,” he concludes. “They know they didn’t do anything wrong, they didn’t do anything wrong and they’re happy with the outcome and their work as a team. If there’s no help from other teams, that’s the outcome of the race.”