The Australian Jay Vine won slightly detached the 3rd stage of the Romandie Tour disputed around Cossonay and marked by the very long – and vain – escaped from Thurgovien Stefan Küng. Frenchman Alex Baudin remains at the top of the general classification.
Even without its leader Tadej Pogacar, the UAE team continues to establish its domination over the World Tour. The Emirati training has thus signed an 18th victory this season in the elite of world cycling. It is 10 more than the Lidl-Trek team, 2nd in the ranking.
With Vine and the Portuguese Joao Almeida, 3rd Friday, UAE even has 2 runners who seem capable of winning the general classification this week. “We will have to see which one will have the best legs tomorrow (Red: Saturday) during the mountain stage”slides the winner of the day.
“It was not premeditated”
The native of Townsville, in northeast of Australia, signed his 9th victory with the pros Friday after a stage made up of 3 loops in the canton of Vaud. He placed a decisive attack just after the red flame in the coasts of Cossonay, the last difficulty of the day certainly not listed but particularly conducive to such an acceleration of a puncture.
-“I made the decision at the time. Everyone was at the limit and I felt that it was time to leave “explained Vine at a press conference. “It was not at all premeditated. It’s really incredible to have been able to win the race in this way”added the one who had revealed himself by winning 2 steps over the Vuelta in 2022.
Trying not for Küng
Before this explosive final, the stage has long been hosted by Stefan Küng (Groupama). The Thurgovien escaped from the start of the race with 2 Dutch runners, Bauke Mollema (Lidl) and Huub Artz (Intermarché). The trio counted up to 6 minutes ahead, but the presence of Huub Artz, which only pointed to 1,16 ” of the yellow jersey, forced the teams of favorites to roll within the peloton.
Aware of the situation, Küng then attempted everything to start all alone, 46 km from the finish, in the Col du Mollendruz. The Swiss champion of the time trial did everything he may have to win a 4th success on the French-speaking loop, but he ended up being taken over 11 km from the finish line.
ats/alt
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