Level 3 were billed as doubtlessly the hardest level within the historical past of the Excursion Down Below – however whilst it gave a clearer image of the full contenders, it nonetheless could not purpose primary gaps on the best of the standings, with no less than 18 riders closing in competition.
Javier Romo (Movistar) carved out a five-second hole on the line together with his solo successful assault, and at the side of a 10-second time bonus, shot to the highest of the full standings and into the ochre jersey. Then again, Jhonatan Narvaez (UAE Group Emirates-XRG) stays a detailed risk and is solely at the back of at 8 seconds.
Narvaez, moment total within the 2024 Excursion Down Below, proved his mountain climbing prowess when he was once moment to Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNl) atop Willunga Hill in remaining 12 months’s version. After this 12 months’s level 3, he has teammate Jay Vine sitting simplest seven extra seconds down on Romo, giving UAE but some other card to play within the ultimate 3 levels.
“[It’s] a bit different to two years ago when we went over Corkscrew [stage 3 in 2023], which was roughly the same amount of time, and we had three of us.”
That 12 months Vine went transparent with eventual winner Simon Yates and Pello Bilbao, however this time on Knotts Hill the race got here again in combination after a flurry of assaults ahead of the summit, and Romo then made his successful transfer at the rolling plateau after the KOM.
“It was an interesting one,” Vin added. “It was frustrating in the race – when you have that many riders, it’s hard to get cooperation, and also, everyone wants not to miss the move, so it just comes down to a big group sprint.”
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With the exception of the climb, the kilometre ahead of a technical descent with 12.5km to move noticed an enormous push from groups to position their contenders into place, including tension to an up-and-down level that saved riders on their ft.
“It was hectic all day today, but I think we’ve all got our bark [skin] on us still, so that’s good.”
In the back of third-placed Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek), Finn Fisher-Black (Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Bastien Tronchon (Decathlon AG2R) and Magnus Sheffield (Ineos) is very best younger rider chief Albert Philipsen – considered one of 4 different Lidl-Trek riders within the best 18.
Philipsen is in his first WorldTour race recent out of the junior ranks however already has prime expectancies for himself within the Excursion Down Below. He was once disenchanted to complete fourth and out of doors of the time bonuses in Uraidla.
“I didn’t quite get in the right moves and had to close a bit too much,” Philipsen mentioned. “Then in the sprint, I got close to the barriers and had to settle for fourth place.”
Fisher-Black remarked at the ways of Lidl-Trek, who had probably the most riders within the staff, however didn’t do extra on the entrance of the gang to convey again Romol. However Philipsen defined, “It was quite hectic in the final and hard to talk together, so it didn’t really play out in our favour this time.”
The Danish rider was once studying WorldTour racing in actual time, particularly the significance of positioning in key moments. “It was really scary going into the descent [before Knotts Hill] because everybody wanted to be in first position. It was an all-out sprint to get there. I didn’t quite make it in the first lap but in the second lap, I was able to place myself good with help from a lot of teammates.”
Philipsen had teammates Konrad, Andrea Bagioli, Juan Pedro Lopez and Bauke Mollema within the staff, however was once kicking himself for now not getting a greater end result.
“I’m really happy to grab the white jersey [of best young rider] for now, but I’m a bit disappointed with the stage. I think I could have done more.”
