Niemiec sees promising future for Ilia Koshevoy

CAPPADOCIA, Turkey—With six Caja Rural-Seguros riders amongst a 15-man break in the fourth and final lap of the 154.1km stage 2 at the 52nd Presidential Tour of Turkey on Monday, 36-year-old Polish rider Przemyslaw Niemiec was watching his first leaders jersey in seven years slipping away.

That is, if it were not for his Lampre-Merida teammate Ilia Koshevoy.

The 25-year-old Belarusian, who finished ninth on the day, guarded Niemiec with 35km remaining after teammate Simone Petilli (ITA) was unable to sustain the lead group’s increasing pace to the finish.

“We were with 13 other riders in the breakaway and we knew the six Caja Rural riders were going to attack in the final kilometre to try to make time on general classification,” Koshevoy told Eurosport. “So, I tried to protect Niemiec’s leaders jersey as best I could – that’s my job.”

The 2015 Tour of Qinghai Lake stage winner’s efforts were not lost on Niemiec, who was able to battle on to ultimately finish fourth and hold on to a six second lead after losing nine seconds to the stage winner Pello Bilbao (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA).

“It was hard today, because of Caja Rural on the final lap,” explained Niemiec, the current race leader after winning the opening stage on Sunday. “They were frightening.

“When Caja Rural set fire to the race, I knew that there’d be attacks from them on the final lap. It was hard to cover them all. I stayed on the wheels and my teammate Koshevoy, closed down the first few attacks then pulled for me until 500m, when I sprinted for second place. 

“Koshevoy was really good today to close down so many moves,” he continued. “I have to thank him today, especially, he rode very well. Tonight I’ll buy him a beer.”

The performance of last year’s best young rider at the Tour of Japan, who also finished second on stage 7 at the Vuelta a España, is of no surprise to Niemiec.

“He’s improved a lot in the last two years with Lampre,” claimed Niemiec. “If he continues at this pace he can have a good career, because he’s growing up a lot.

“Just look at his performance at Tour de San Luis in January,” he concluded. “He was just two places behind Nairo Quintana (Movistar) in fifth place overall and that’s a great result for him and proof he is very talented.”