Image: APA/JFK
The 26-year-old from the British Ineos racing team won the fifth stage of the cycle tour, which was revived after a three-year break, on Thursday in an uphill sprint. The Austrian riders had no chance against the superiority of the World Tour teams on the final day.
Martin Messner finished 15th in the Mostviertel a little more than a minute behind the top. In the overall ranking, the 23-year-old Tour debutant from the Styrian WSA team ended up 14th as the best red-white-red representative, almost two minutes behind. On the final stage, his distance to the top professionals from the first league was mercilessly shown to him. “Are you stupid, it was such a devastation in the final rounds. The World Tour teams simply played their team superiority perfectly.”
The Murtaler drew a positive conclusion due to the talent tests he had given. “I’m completely satisfied, I gave everything. It was always my dream to be at the start of the Tour. To be able to get involved at the front is really really cool.”
“Was the hardest day”
Narvaez also had to push his limits on the last day with three ascents over the steep ramp to the Sonntagberg Basilica. “It was a tough week and today was the toughest day. I really suffered, but I still made it,” said the tour dominator, happy about his perfect performance. “It was an incredible tour, a very nice week.”
Despite the climbing shows he has shown, he does not see himself as a mountain specialist, so the 2020 Giro stage winner was all the more proud of the success. “I’m very happy, this is my greatest tour success,” said the winner of the 72nd edition of the tour, who was the first South American to win the Austria tour. The Italian Giovanni Visconti last achieved three stage successes in 2018.
On the final day, Narvaez held Jayco’s Ethiopian Welay Hagos Berhe at bay in the sprint. Third place went to the German Jason Osborne (Alpecin), the ex-rower moved up to second place in the overall standings, 41 seconds behind Narvaez. The first nine places in the tour standings all went to professionals from the World Tour. The best-placed driver of the five Austrian Continental teams was the Swiss Colin Stüssi from the Vorarlberg team in eleventh place.
Zoidl disappointed
Ex-Tournament winner Riccardo Zoidl was among the disappointed. The veteran in the service of the Felbermayr racing team could no longer keep up with the aces in the final and was two and a half minutes behind as the second best Austrian in 24th place, in the final the Upper Austrian came in 21st place.
“I tried everything, unfortunately I couldn’t do more,” said the 35-year-old, who was welcomed by his wife and three children in the finish area, which was lined with numerous fans.
World Tour pro Tobias Bayer (Alpecin) and Emanuel Zangerle (Felbermayr), who, like Zoidl, started with great ambitions, were in the escape group on the last section of Ybbs over 156 km. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t go through.
Source: Nachrichten
