Zdenek participated in yesterday's Gullegem kermis race. With the presence of riders like Tom Boonen and the in-form Philippe Gilbert at the start, there was no shortage of big names in this race.
“It was a hard race,” Styby said afterwards. “We were supposed to race 170km, but it actually ended up being 180km. And that with an average speed of 47kph, despite the wind and many turns.”
The legs recovered well following the Tour of Belgium. “It's a good sign. I'm in good shape.”
How did the race pan out? “We rode with a group of 35 and stayed ahead of the peloton. Bonnen was impressively strong on the last lap, but we were riding for our sprinter Francesco Chicchi.”
But it was not to be. The group was again up against a very strong Gilbert. “He attacked with 500 meters to go. Unfortunately Chicchi was unable to bridge the gap and finished second. But the teamwork was great.”