In rainy conditions, Development Team dsm-firmenich PostNL lined up today for their final race of 2024, Paris-Tours Espoirs. After a fast start, Oliver Peace managed to jump into a breakaway of 13 riders. The group gained a lead of around three minutes, and Oliver attacked aggressively in the gravel sections to improve his chances of winning. While a few riders managed to break away in the final, Oliver fought hard to secure a strong sixth place, capping off the season on a high note for the Development program.
Peace said: “We started well, with Frank covering moves early on. After his move was brought back, I countered with a few others, and we managed to create a good gap with a group of around 13. We worked well together and hit the gravel sections with about a three-minute lead. I tried to thin the group down as much as possible but was probably overly aggressive in the last 50 kilometres, and I paid the price in the final stretch. A few guys slipped away in the last couple of kilometres, and I managed to sprint for 6th. It’s a bit bittersweet, as I know I was strong enough for a better result if I had played my cards differently.”