Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s combative race style went unrewarded in the Volta Limburg Classic this afternoon. The team’s Paul Martens sprinted behind three leaders, including winner Marco Canola, to fifth place.

"The whole day, I was good, but at some point I hesitated too long," said Martens. "Timo [Roosen] came back, so I doubted whether it was not better to sit in the large group with two men then to go with a small group. I thought too much, I just needed to follow my instinct.

“That little group reached the finish line. There was no cooperation in the group behind it. We looked at each other and no one rode.

"There were many riders that I didn’t know immediately, but very good ones. There wasn’t any real control because there were not many WorldTour teams. That makes it very fun to race. It may not be the biggest race, but it’s one of the toughest."

Disappointing

"We’re there the whole day” says Sports Director Merijn Zeeman. "In the first breakaway of the day, we had Koen Bouwman and Victor Campenaerts. When this group was brought back, our men jumped with every group.

“Halfway through the race, a large group rode away. We counted four men in this group, and that was good. Unfortunately, Van den Broeck and Roossen are not one hundred per cent and Campenaerts had already done the necessary work in the first escape. So only Martens could remain.

“It is disappointing that we did not win here. When four men were away, we tried to set up a chase. But there was absolutely no cooperation within the group."