It was a masterful team performance from Team Sky but Sergio Henao’s victory on the 'king' stage of the Tour de Pologne on Friday held particular individual significance.
It was the Colombian’s first win of the season and perhaps marks a significant point in his comeback from an annus horribilis in 2014. Temporarily suspended from Sky when doubts were raised over his blood values, he returned to racing at the Tour de Suisse only to be hit by another blow – a broken kneecap that would end his season and threaten his career.
He returned in March this year, and though this is his first win, it has been a strong comeback season with top-three GC placings at the Vuelta al País Vasco and the Tour of California.
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“Last year was pretty tough for me,” said Henao. “My injury nearly forced me to give up cycling but, my faith, my girlfriend, my team, always supported me, believed in me, waited for me, helped me. Now what I’ve done this year, at País Vasco and California I was missing that little something to get the win, but I’m really happy with this success.”
Justifiably or not, Team Sky are hardly noted for their tactical acumen or versatility. Metronomic drilling on climbs from a string of men in black is the familiar sight and the British squad has been accused in the past of naivety when it came to the more uncontrollable situations, such as one-day racing.
Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas helped to alter that perception over the spring, and the team at the Tour de Pologne followed in their footsteps on the queen stage on Friday, where an astute and inventive game plan was executed to perfection.
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