THIS time last year Alessandro Petacchi was thinking about retirement. On Sunday, however, Mark Renshaw helped make Petacchi’s decision to continue racing pay off.
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Both Bathurst talent Renshaw and Petacchi are new faces in the Omega Pharma-QuickStep squad this season, recruited to help promote the chances of Mark Cavendish in sprint finishes.
The role convinced the man known as “Ale Jet” to return to racing despite being one of the oldest riders in the professional road cycling ranks after turning 40 in January.
The pair have worked well for Cavendish so far this season, but with the Isle of Man sprinter currently recovering from a virus, it meant Sunday’s Gran Pric Cerami in Belgium offered the chance for another QuickStep sprinter to shine.
That man was Petacchi and it was a chance he took as he came off Renshaw’s wheel with 200 metres to go to post the 182nd win of his long career.
“Nice win in GP Cerami with Ale Petacchi today,” Renshaw tweeted. “Big lead out from QuickStep boys. Happy to drop him off nice and close to the line.”
The GP Cerami is a 200-kilometre race in which the field makes its way from Saint-Ghislain to Frameries. It includes three laps of a 13.2-kilometre circuit, which suits sprinters.
A group of 13 riders managed to escape, Renshaw’s team-mate Martin Velits among them, but the peloton kept them in check.
The field was back together with six kilometres to go and teams began to organise their lead- out trains. As the finish line loomed, Renshaw had Petacchi on his wheel and as he has done so many times, the Bathurst talent provided the perfect lead out.
The Italian did the rest, taking out a hectic sprint ahead of defending champion Jonas Vangenechten (Lotto-Belisol).
As Petacchi crossed the line after four hours, 42 minutes and 44 seconds of racing, he raised his arms in triumph.
“I’m super happy about this victory,” Petacchi said.
“We rode really well. The last kilometre was slightly uphill, but I counted on a great team. They worked really well the entire day.
“In the final, Andrew Fenn and Mark Renshaw did a great job. I went at about 200 metres to go. We had a headwind but I took the right tempo to do my sprint and I won.
“I haven’t won since 2012. So, I’m super satisfied about this victory.
“At the age of 40 it’s never easy. When you are a sprinter at this age you gain some strength, but you are a bit less explosive. I’m really, really happy. In this team I’ve found my place.
“I’m always motivated and satisfied to give to the team and to Patrick Lefevere back all that they have done for me. I was looking forward to win a race with this jersey and now my dream came true.”
It was the 21st victory of the season for QuickStep, not including the Tirreno-Adriatico team time trial victory of which Renshaw was a part.
Both Renshaw and Petacchi are likely to be back riding for Cavendish next week in the Tour of Turkey.