Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, June 13, 2024

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2023 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia

If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one? - Abraham Lincoln

---

Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 2: 1976 - 2018 is available in print, Kindle eBook & Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• June 9 - 16: Tour de Suisse
• June 12 - 16: Baloise Belgium Tour

Upcoming racing:

• June 15 - 18: La Route d'Occitanie Cancelled because security forces busy with Olympics
• June 21 - 26: Many National Championships
• July 1 - 23: Tour de France
• July 27 - August 11: Olympic cycling

Latest completed racing:

• June 2 - 9: Critérium du Dauphiné
• June 5 - 9: ZLM Tour
• June 7: GP Canton Aargau
• June 2: Brussels Cycling Classic
• May 29: Circuit Franco-Belge
• May 4 - 26: Giro d'Italia
• May 23 - 26: Tour of Norway
• May 26: Rund um Köln

---

Tour de Suisse stage four team reports

We posted the report from new GC leader Adam Yates's UAE Team Emirates with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner Torstein Traeen's Team Bahrain Victorious:

It was a memorable day for Bahrain Victorious at the Tour de Suisse, as Torstein Træen soloed to win from the breakaway, conquering the Gotthard Pass on stage 4, this year’s ‘Queen Stage’, and winning the ‘#rideforGino’ Mountain Prize .

The team couldn’t have hoped for more in this edition of the Swiss race, as today’s achievement was the best way to honour the memory of Gino.

Torstein Traeen wins stage four. Sirotti photo

After the opening time-trial and two relatively easy days, Stage 4 from Rüschlikon to Gotthard Pass (171 km), marked the beginning of the hardest part of this Tour de Suisse. Stage 6 was shortened due to the closure of the Nufenen Pass, and the KOM planned in tribute to Gino Mäder was relocated to the Gotthard. This provided extra motivation for TBV riders at the start of the day, eager to enter the breakaway and seize their chance on the challenging 34 km final ascent at 4.6%, finishing at around 2000 meters. Here, it’s all about the legs, but as Torstein’s victory showed, the heart counts just as much.

The 28-year-old Norwegian climber was part of an 8-man breakaway that formed shortly after the start of the stage, staying ahead for about 156 km. The attackers managed to gain a maximum advantage of 6 minutes, enough to withstand the peloton’s pursuit on the demanding climb to the finish. Torstein made his decisive move with around 10 km to go, attacking from the breakaway and soloing towards his dream: achieving his first ever professional win. In the final few kilometers he maintained enough of an advantage to celebrate an epic win against the stunning mountain backdrop of Gotthard, ahead of Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) and Matthias Skjelmose (Lidl Trek).

Still in disbelief about his achievement, Torstein Træen commented: “I don’t know what to say without being emotional. It’s for Gino and it’s so special for me. It has been a rollercoaster these past two years. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo surgery. Recently, I had to leave the Giro due to an injury. This win is so special for me, Gino’s family, and the team.

“I didn’t believe it was possible because this morning I didn’t think I had the legs. Then, in the breakaway, I started thinking about everything that has happened to me over the last few years and, of course, about Gino. Suddenly, I was there with the legs, just hoping I could hold on, and luckily I did. The last kilometre seemed never-ending. Yates was coming so fast behind me; it was not tarmac but cobbles and there was a headwind. I was so happy when I finished and realised I had done it.”

“Winning the prize for Gino is unbelievable. Everyone misses him. Personally, I didn’t know him because I wasn’t in the team last year, but I can feel how much he is missed. I’m honoured to win this stage for him, especially with his family here. It means so much.”

Sports Director Roman Kreuziger also emphasised the importance of this success for the entire team in memory of Gino: “It was a bit unexpected. We aimed to be in the breakaway, and Torstein managed to join it and perform excellently. We also had a bit of luck with the leader’s crash, which gave us some extra time that was crucial for the win. We are super happy because today was the highest point of this Tour de Suisse in memory of Gino, giving us extra motivation. We ride for him. We always remember him with a big smile, and today was the best day to win because of his memory.”

Torstein Træen not only won the stage and Gino’s prize but was also awarded the KOM jersey, the most combative prize, and the Tissot kilometre prize.

Here's the Swiss Tour report from third-place Mattias Skjelmose's Team Lidl-Trek:

There was a strong sense of satisfaction in the words of Mattias Skjelmose after the first mountain test since his mid-season break in May. The Danish talent finished Stage 4 of the Tour de Suisse in third place after a head-to-head with Almeida (UAE), 48" behind Træen (Bahrain), who won from the breakaway, and 25" from Yates (UAE).

Mattias Skjelmose beats Joao Almeida across the line for third place. Sirotti photo

The first round of the GC challenge of the Tour de Suisse, which took place on the Gotthard Pass, gave the feedback Skjelmose wanted. Good feelings, good legs and the knowledge that the goal of placing himself on the final podium is possible. At the moment Skjelly is third overall, with the same time as Almeida (second), both 26" behind Yates. Bernal (Ineos) follows in 4th position, 23" behind the Dane, who will wear the jersey of best young rider tomorrow.

Today it was a glory for the breakaway, with Træen proving himself uncatchable and deserving the success. But, as one stage ends, the focus is already turned to the next hard days.

Mattias’ reaction:
"I think we played it well today. We did what we had to, as a Team. The guys believed in me and they did a great job to keep the situation under control for long time, Jacopo in particular.

"The attack of Yates was strong. If I would have been in his wheel maybe I would have tried to follow. Anyway, he went strong, but I had always the feeling of good legs so I decided to wait for the right moment to force the pace and to minimize the loss. I’m happy with my performance. It was the first test on the mountain for me after the break and the altitude camp. Days like this always come with a bit of doubt. In the end, I felt really good, and that’s the best takeaway for today.

"Although Yates today showed a great form, I feel the GC competition is still open. I’m in a good position. We’ll have three mountain stages and a time trial to play our chances. We’ll go for it."

Here's the report from sixth-place Oscar Onley's Team dsm-firmenich PostNL:

After some days in the hills, the Tour de Suisse headed to its first mountain-top finish on Wednesday afternoon; with the famous Gotthard Pass seeing a battle between the climbers of the peloton.

Oscar Onley finishes sixth. Sirotti photo

A fast start saw a break form out front, with all Team dsm-firmenich PostNL riders remaining in the bunch, keeping GC finisher Oscar Onley safe ahead of the tough finale. Working well as a group the team managed the day well and brought the climbing group into a good position as they hit the lower slopes of the Gotthard Pass. Out front, the break had built up a large advantage and Træen would have enough left in the tank to hold on for the stage win.

Back in the peloton, the pace increased as the kilometres ticked by, with the bunch thinning out. Onley remained attentive at the front after being well positioned by the team and he tried to follow Yates’ stinging attack. Having to then set his own pace, he formed part of a chasing group and kept pushing all the way to the line; ultimately sprinting to a strong sixth place on the day and moving up to the same spot on the overall GC with the team.

Onley expressed: “The guys did a really good job again today protecting me throughout the stage. On the climb, Frank put me on the UAE train as they started to increase the pace which was perfect and from there it was just down to the legs. I made a couple of mistakes but it’s a solid start and something to build on for the rest of the week I think.”

Here's the report from Cian Uijtdebroeks' and Wilco Kelderman's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Cian Uijtdebroeks and Wilco Kelderman finished ninth and twelfth in the tricky fourth stage of the Tour de Suisse. The duo lost some time - partly due to an unfortunate crash that held up Kelderman - on the competition for the general classification.

The early breakaway gathered several minutes of advantage in the first part of the stage in no time. In the end, the advantage was enough for Norwegian Torstein Træen. He won the stage at the top of the Gotthard Pass.

Behind him, a first real battle unfolded between the general classification riders. Uijtdebroeks and Kelderman were attentive at the front of a depleted group when a crash by another rider brought down Kelderman as well. The Dutchman was then forced to chase, an effort that proved to take a lot of energy.

Adam Yates attacked not much later, after which the group split. Uijtdebroeks was unable to follow and fought his way to the top with four other riders. The Belgian finished ninth in the day's result.

Cian Uijtdebroeks finishes ninth, just ahead of Matthew Riccitello Sirotti photo

Just behind Uijtdebroeks, Kelderman regained a good pace. The 33-year-old climber picked up the dropped riders one by one, but despite his good form finished only twelfth. Kelderman is fifth in the general classification after stage four, three places ahead of his teammate Uijtdebroeks.

"Actually, I felt pretty good today," Uijtdebroeks responds afterwards. "It was the first long effort since my abandonment in the Giro d'Italia. I feel my body is getting stronger every day. Unfortunately, I missed the power the moment Yates and later Skjelmose attacked. Despite losing a bit, the differences are not very big yet. In the coming days we will try to move up in the GC. It was very unfortunate to see Wilco drop out of the group of favorites in this way. He fought hard and made up a lot of time. We're both not in a bad position, so we can definitely do something in the coming days. The time differences are not too big.”

And here's the report from Lenny Martinez's Team Groupama-FDJ:

The sequence of summit finishes on the Tour de Suisse has started. At the top of the Gotthardpass, on stage 4, the GC contenders put in a first fight on Wednesday. Slightly in trouble, Lenny Martinez was unable to follow the big names while Torstein Traeen claimed victory from the breakaway. The Groupama-FDJ climber took seventeenth place, 1’54 behind the winner, and now sits in fifteenth place overall, 1’57 behind leader Adam Yates.

After the time trialists, sprinters and punchers got their opportunity on the opening stages of the Tour de Suisse, a sequence of five summit finishes, including the time trial, was about to start on Wednesday for the bunch. The first test was to happen on the slopes of the Gotthardpass (8 km at 6.5%), right after the Schöllenen climb (4.5 km at 7.5%) after 171 kilometres. Before that, the profile featured no difficulties, with the exception of a hill start which also offered a nice fight for the breakaway.

After twenty kilometres, Silvan Dillier, Torstein Traeen, Bryan Coquard, Lilian Calmejane, Gerben Kuypers, Michael Matthews, Roland Thalmann and Jan Sommer eventually established the day’s good move, which enjoyed a maximum lead of seven minutes. Starting the final, ascending phase, of about thirty kilometres, the leading group still had a six-minute gap, and the GC teams did not seem willing to lead a frantic chase.

The breakaway split apart, and Torstein Traeen then went alone at the bottom of the Gothardpass, with a lead still close to four minutes. “We knew that a breakaway could possibly make it, depending on who was in there,” said Thierry Bricaud. “Then we expected a battle between the GC favourites. We had to be in the mix from the bottom of the Gotthardpass because we knew that it could be fast straight away, and that’s what happened. Lenny found himself behind a first split at that moment. This is due both to his legs and positioning. He was certainly not very well positioned, but since he didn’t have the legs, it wasn’t so easy to move back up. And as soon as you’re behind a split at this speed, you suffer. He managed to get back the first time with the help of Rudy, then he was distanced again when UAE Team Emirates launched Adam Yates.”

The San Gottard pass. Sirotti photos

Less than five kilometres from the finish, the French climber was forced to let his rivals go at the front, but he kept on pushing, nonetheless. “He didn’t have really good legs,” said Thierry. “He wasn’t way behind, but he wasn’t great, so he suffered. He continued at his own pace and eventually limited his losses.”

At the top, Lenny Martinez took seventeenth place, 1’54 from the winner Traeen and 1’31 from the first of the favorites, and new yellow jersey, Adam Yates. “I didn’t really have the legs to keep up in front, but I held on until the finish,” he confirmed. “There are still quite a few nice stages and a great time trial left. A lot of things can change, so we will try to go up in GC.” “Even if he wasn’t great today, he is still in the mix,” concluded Thierry. “And when you look ahead of him in the rankings, these are mostly experienced riders… The level is high, so if you don’t have good legs, you pay for it straight away. This Tour de Suisse has only just begun, and it will be hard every day from now on. Tomorrow the final climb is shorter but steeper, and we’ll have to see how Lenny feels.”

And Egan Bernal's Team INEOS Grenadiers posted this Tour of Switzerland stage four report:

Egan Bernal climbed to fifth on stage four of the Tour de Suisse, with an assured performance on the Gotthard Pass.

A strong breakaway escaped early in the day and quickly built up an advantage of over five minutes on the predominately flat run to the finale. The Grenadiers were instrumental in upping the pace inside the final 10 kilometres, with Brandon Rivera attacking out of the group to force a selection.

Bernal quickly found himself in much reduced group, with the breakaway looking set to take the win on the day. An attack by Adam Yates (UAE) forced yet another selection, with Bernal responding well to form a chase group of three.

Egan Bernal finishing fifth. Sirotti photo

The Colombian was not quite able to maintain the effort, however, and would slip from the chasing trio in the final two kilometres. Egan would cross the line fifth, one minute down on breakaway rider Torstein Træen.

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary