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Bak fifth in Roubaix: 'I did a great ride.'

Oct 20, 2009
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<p>Dane Lars Bak's aggressive riding over France's cobbled and dusty roads yesterday earned him fifth in Paris-Roubaix.</p><p>
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"Maybe I should have saved more energy, but that's hard to do with Thor Hushovd and Fabian Cancellara fighting behind," Bak explained inside Roubaix's velodrome. "I don't regret it, I did a great ride."</p><p>
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HTC-Highroad's Bak rode into the velodrome with Cancellara, Gregory Rast and Maarten Tjallingii. They trailed Johan Van Summeren by 19 seconds and positioned themselves for a sprint for second place. After an aggressive day, Bak had nothing left in the tank to take a podium spot.</p><p>
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He had fought with Van Summeren to form the winning move over some of Paris-Roubaix's worst cobbled roads in the Arenberg Forest. Their eight-man group reached the day's early escape 20 kilometres later, with 66 kilometres to race.</p><p>
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Sport Director Alan Peiper radioed ahead. He told Bak save himself for the final, a chance to help leader Bernhard Eisel or attack for the win. He eventually got the chance to attack.</p><p>
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Bak led onto sector nine, Mérignies-Avelin, and then created a smaller group in sector seven, Le Moulin de Vertain.</p><p>
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"I tried to attack four or five times to get a new group going," added Bak. "In the end, it happened and we could see that a podium place was possible, and maybe the victory."</p><p>
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Four men – Bak, Van Summeren, Rast and Maarten Tjallingii – rumbled towards Roubaix. They were worried, though, with news coming that the pre-race favourites were firing behind.</p><p>
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"Alan Peiper was saying that [Alessandro] Ballan, Hushovd and Fabian are coming, they're coming."</p><p>
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Bak tried to attack again, but instead, saw Van Summeren ride clear with 16 kilometres to race. He kept fighting for a podium place, second or third, but he was cooked and had little left when caught by his former team-mate Cancellara.</p><p>
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"I was one of the most, or one of the three most aggressive riders in the race," said Bak, "but I paid for that in the end."</p><p>
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Bak's previous best in Roubaix was 21st last year. His fifth ended a good day for HTC since Eisel recovered and claimed seventh.</p>

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