News | Itzulia Basque Country | Scheldeprijs • April 10, 2019
Ulissi close to Basque Country win & top 10 for Philipsen in Belgium
Italian rider 2nd in Estibaliz, 9th for the Belgian in the Scheldeprijs
From the Basque Country comes a nice signal from Diego Ulissi, who just missed out on a win in the Itzulia Basque Country‘s third stage to Estibaliz.
The UAE Team Emirates, with the exception of Tadej Pogačar, avoided a crash that, at 6km from the finish line, ended the chances for numerous important riders (among them Julian Alaphilippe). Thankfully, there were no physical consequences for the young Slovenian.
Nearing the end of the 191.4 km stage, the Emirates team moved compactly towards the head of the group to support Ulissi for the short climb of 1.4 km, at an average 4.2%.
The group launched 350 meters from the finish and Ulissi took the lead at 150 meters, but then had to surrender to the charge of Maximilian Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe). Ulissi was 2nd (photo Bettini).
The German consolidated his leadership and Daniel Martin rose to 4th position (+49″).
Diego Ulissi: “The final was complicated, but working together with the team we managed to get ourselves in a good position.
I am satisfied with my sprint, it was excellent, but Schachmann was just better. I am pleased to have found a nice kick, it is a good sign for the next stages and, looking further ahead, for the Ardennes Classics“.
Stage 3 results
1 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora-hansgrohe 4h47’57”
2 Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates s.t.
3 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin s.t.
General classification after stage 3
1 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora-hansgrohe 8h34’31”
2 Ion Izagirre (Esp) Astana 33″
3 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-hansgrohe s.t.
4 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates 49″
In Belgium, in the Scheldeprijs, young Belgian sprinter Jasper Philipsen shot to ninth in the final sprint. Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck Quick Step) won the race for the second year in a row.
Wind gusts affected the race for 140 kilometres. The peloton split in several smaller groups. In the final, around 30 athletes, including Ferrari, Philipsen, Consonni and Bohli, arrived for the sprint.
“Today was a very nervous sprint,” said Philipsen. “Ferrari did a great job bringing me to the last corner on the left, but then I couldn’t get around immediately, facing much wind. In the last 200 metres, I was still in a good position, but I found myself behind Morkov who stopped pedaling and I was closed on the left. Then once I had space, it was too late to try to make a good result”.
Race results
1 Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4h26’45”
2 Maximilian Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb s.t.
3 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team Sky s.t.
9 Jasper Philipsen (Bel) UAE Team Emirates s.t.
