Flying start for Kashi and the Cannondale-Vredestein Team!
After the team presentation in Enschede, Holland on Thursday, Kashi Leuchs flew to Spain with the motivating sounds and images from the well-attended team launch in a local cinema still buzzing in his head. Two days later at the season opener in Banyoles in Catalonia he showed that the team intend to continue their race winning ways in 2008, just as they had finished in 2007!
Although Kashi is a seasoned racer with numerous top placings in the biggest races in the World, the number of races he actually wins as he searches for the best competition is not huge, so to start the season with a win is a big motivation for him and shows that his winter training at home without the distractions of travel or cyclo cross has been successful.
Kashi, and the new rider from the partner team De Brink–Ten Tusscher, Jukka Vastaranta from Finland, lined up at the start with most of the best riders Spain has to offer and after a fast start loop during which Jukka took the lead, the field took off for the first of 5 x 7.4km laps. Jukka and Kashi were both comfortable in the leading group of six and on the second lap Kashi took off as Jukka slowed down the group on a single track climb, and he was never seen again. Kashi took the chance to show the new clothing design at the finish line: he raised his arms and took the win after just over 90 minutes of racing by 1.14, while Jukka faded slightly after his fast start to place 6th.
After the team presentation in Enschede, Holland on Thursday, Kashi Leuchs flew to Spain with the motivating sounds and images from the well-attended team launch in a local cinema still buzzing in his head. Two days later at the season opener in Banyoles in Catalonia he showed that the team intend to continue their race winning ways in 2008, just as they had finished in 2007!
Although Kashi is a seasoned racer with numerous top placings in the biggest races in the World, the number of races he actually wins as he searches for the best competition is not huge, so to start the season with a win is a big motivation for him and shows that his winter training at home without the distractions of travel or cyclo cross has been successful.
Kashi, and the new rider from the partner team De Brink–Ten Tusscher, Jukka Vastaranta from Finland, lined up at the start with most of the best riders Spain has to offer and after a fast start loop during which Jukka took the lead, the field took off for the first of 5 x 7.4km laps. Jukka and Kashi were both comfortable in the leading group of six and on the second lap Kashi took off as Jukka slowed down the group on a single track climb, and he was never seen again. Kashi took the chance to show the new clothing design at the finish line: he raised his arms and took the win after just over 90 minutes of racing by 1.14, while Jukka faded slightly after his fast start to place 6th.
