Tiago Machado has won the 21st Tour of Slovenia. The 28-year-old Team NetApp – Endura rider thus delivered the fourth win of the season for the highest ranked German cycling team. With his success, NetApp – Endura is now in fourth place in the UCI EuropeTour, just before the Tour de France. As expected, the final stage in the Slovenian city of Novo Mesto was decided in a mass sprint. Elia Viviani (Cannondale) finished just ahead of Eduard Grosu (Vini Fantini) and Michael Matthews (Orica GreenEdge). Local rider Blaz Jarc of Team NetApp – Endura sprinted into sixth place.

"The team made me really proud today. They confidently defended the yellow jersey and showed to have the race under control at all times. The guys coped very well with the tactical challenge set by a final stage in this sort of situation. If you show any sort of weakness, the attack comes right away, and the guys simply did not give them a chance. They are all well and showed a still increasing form. And of course this puts us in an optimistic mood for the Tour de France," says Sport Director Christian Pömer, praising the team.

"The day would have been perfect if Blaz had finished in the top five here at his home venue. It turned out to be sixth place, and I think he will be happy with this positive finish to his home tour," continues Pömer.

After the start of the stage, NetApp – Endura dictated a fast pace for the field, immediately neutralizing any attempt at a breakaway. The team only allowed a five-man group to pull away after 40 km. Due to the composition of the group, the peloton continued to ride at a fast pace under the leadership of Team NetApp – Endura, so that the gap did not get close to the three-minute mark at any time. All the breakaway riders had already been overhauled with ten kilometers to go, and the fast pace in the bunch did not permit any more attacks before the finish. The stage was thus decided in a mass sprint in the center of Novo Mesto.

Website Tour of Slovenia

Stage 1 (ITT): Ljubljana - Ljubljana, 8.8km 
Stage 2: Ribnica - Kočevje, 160.7km 
Stage 3: Rogaška Slatina - Trije Kralji, 192km 
Stage 4: Škofja Loka - Novo mesto, 153km