"It was also yesterday" - Matteo Trentin sounds caution as sprinters plot revenge at Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Cycling
Matteo Trentin has sounded a word of warning to sprinters who think Thursday's Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes stage 5 is heading to bunch race to the line. The Tudor Pro Cycling star is one who could look to capitalise in that scenario, but is worried another hilly start could favour a breakaway heist.
Wednesday saw Quinn Simmons win the sprint to the line to take his first victory of the season, except he was sprinting among the nine riders that managed to just about hold off the peloton behind - spoiling a potential stage opportunity for many in the bunch.
After a hilly start that favoured powerful versatile riders, the flat finale was not enough to reel in a strong breakaway featuring Finn Fisher-Black, Marco Frigo, Andreas Kron and Raul Garcia Pierna.
Trentin praises breakaway performance
Trentin had high praise for yesterday's breakaway effort that took away the sprint for the bunch. Speaking to Cycling Pro Net, the veteran Italian is happy with his return to riding as he rides for the first time in over two months.
Trentin said: "The race is going quite alright for me. Of course i was curious to see how my body would react in the first race after the injury and it's reacting quite well. Also because it's not an easy race at all.
"As you can see even yesterday, the breakaway could stay away for just a little bit. But they deserved it, because it was super fast and they could survive. It was a tough day out."
Trentin analyses stage 5
Thursday's stage appears to offer a greater chance of a sprint, with the final 70 kilometers largely flat. However, the 36-year-old pointed to another difficult start during the breakaway phase that could get in the way.
"Let's see, because it was also yesterday. It's longer, so the flat part is longer compared to yesterday. The start is pretty hard and the altitude meters are more than yesterday. I think the start is going to be a big battle.
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"I tried a bit yesterday, but I was a bit blocked. Let's see if it's a bit easier, some are getting tired I hope. It's a long straight, quite open, wind should blow from the right head side. Let's see."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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