Throughout the fourth stage of the Tour of Slovakia, the black-and-yellow squad remained alert at the front of the race. The team stayed out of trouble, leading to a bunch sprint for the fourth day in a row. In the final kilometer, Behrens managed to hold his position at the front and sprinted to fourth place.

“As a team, we rode well today,” reflected sports director Sierk Jan de Haan. “We were consistently alert and positioned ourselves well. In the finale, we tried to split the field in the crosswinds, but unfortunately that didn’t work out. In the closing kilometers, we were able to deliver Niklas to a good position, after which he produced a strong sprint and rewarded himself with another fine result.”

Tomorrow brings the queen stage, where the general classification will be decided. “Tomorrow will be an important day. We will use our strength as a team and aim for victory,” De Haan concluded.