Simone Consonni back at the top step: "It really felt like the sprint was four kilometers long"

Simone Consonni had shown good form at the Saudi Tour but today he's hit the jackpot as he won the tough sprint into Maraya to conclude the Middle Eastern race.

“This is very important for me and the team. We have started the season very well. I am happy that I now show that I can win too," Consonni said in a post-race interview. The Cofidis rider had finished fourth two days ago in Abu Rakah at the hilltop finish, and in similar circumstances today he had another opportunity to succeed as Max Walscheid opted to lead-out the Italian.

As the sprint was launched very early, it benefited the track specialist who had the endurance to continue the very long effort as the likes of Groenewegen cracked. Consonni took a very important win, the third and perhaps biggest of his road career.

“It was really tough. I already started sprinting 300 meters from the finish. It really felt like the sprint was four kilometers long. I had to push really hard to the end," he described. Despite being a sprinter, he has nevertheless managed to ride into 7th position in the overall classification having survived the queen stage in the chasing groups.