Post-Tour surge propels Wanty-Groupe Gobert to Europe Tour win
(Cyclingnews.com)

A late surge of wins in Italy propelled Wanty-Groupe Gobert to the overall win in the 2017 UCI Europe Tour for the second consecutive year, a result the Belgian Pro Continental team hopes will garner another Tour de France invitation next year. With a Tour de France appearance limiting the team´s UCI points in July, Wanty-Groupe Gobert lagged behind Cofidis in the season-long Continental series. A surge of wins starting in August after the Tour de France made up the difference, however, with the team finishing 31 points ahead of Cofidis and 241 ahead of Androni-Sidermec `Three weeks ago I told general manager Jean-François Bourlart that we would win the Europe Tour,` said team director Hilaire Van der Schueren. `At that moment we were 500 points behind, but I know how the system works.ADVERTISEMENT `We changed our way of riding,` Van der Schueren said. `We rode to pick up points and that brings benefits.` Guillaume Martin started off the post-Tour win streak with a stage win and the overall at the Tour du Limousin in August. Jerome Baugnies added a win at Druivenkoers-Overijse, and Tom Devriendt another at Omloop van het Houtland Lichtervelde. Martin continued the run of wins with a stage and the overall at Tour du Gévaudan Languedoc-Roussillon, while track specialist Kenny Dehaes seized victory at Gooikse Pijl. Martin kept things rolling in Italy with a stage win and the overall at Giro della Toscana, and Andrea Pasqualon finished it off with victory at the one-day Coppa Sabatini. Positioning for another Tour de France invitation You can read more at Cyclingnews.com