Line-up: Michael Peter, Patrick Haller, Piotr Pekala, Bartlomiej Proc

Due to the illness of two riders, Stefan Brandlmeier and Jonas Sonnleitner, only four riders started for our team at the GP Slovenia Istria.

After a controlled first half of the race we had a really hard bike race on the two longer climbs. For the first time the peloton split into bigger groups. At the first split Patrick Haller, Michael Peter and Piotr Pekala were still in the first group. Over the last long hill the peloton was decimated again, a 30-man lead group led the race and Haller was the best of our team in the first chasing group.

"Only at the beginning of the final lap did we rejoin the first group. It was difficult for me to do anything on my own. My legs were still quite good at the beginning, but I had to invest quite a lot in the chasing work, because our group didn't really harmonise. I felt that in my legs at the end," said Haller, who finally finished in 40th place.

"After Istria I had a bit of a cold, but today it was fine again," said the 24-year-old Patrick Haller after the race. In the coming races in Slovenia this week, we will hopefully be able to have more to say in the race with a full team.