Gonso Albstadt Classic Bundesliga #4 GER 14.06.2009

Roel finishes 3rd!

Cannondale Factory Racing’s Roel Paulissen fought hard in front of a huge crowd at the Bundesliga race in Albstadt, Germany this past week. The reigning Marathon World Champion finished 3rd while teammate Marco Aurelio Fontana was also 3rd at a race in Vermiglio, Italy.

The race in Albstadt was attended by a huge crowd of people who saw one of the most thrilling races so far this season. Paulissen was in the leading group for the entire race with Swiss riders Florian Vogel and Fabian Giger as well as German Wolfram Kurschat and Austrian rider Christoph Soukup. “In the last lap we went up the steep climb and the spectators were in full force. It was amazing. Vogel and Giger got away and I was behind Kurschat, but he was dead so I could only fight for third. But that was ok, because I had a hard week training and the race was super fast,” Paulissen showed satisfaction after the race.

Martin Gujan had a long and hard battle with Spanish rider Jose Antonio Hermida in Albstadt. A little crash in the last lap caused Gujan to lose time to Hermida in the finale, eventually coming in 9th. “The result is not the best, but the feeling on the bike was way better than in the first part of the season.”

On the other side of the Alps, it was Cannondale Factory Racing’s Marco Aurelio Fontana who felt well again after his crash one week ago in Chies d’Alpago. Fontana attended the last race of the Italian Cup 2009 in Vermiglio and was up front from the start. The leading group melted down and only 3 riders went together in the last lap. “I was behind Christoph Sauser when we went down to the finish line. I knew that I had to be first in the last two corners to win the race. Unfortunately, I touched his rear wheel while passing him and I went down. That’s racing! I went for first and came in third,” Fontana showed not too much frustration after his crash.