The Visma-Lease a Bike rider takes his first pro victory with a solo attack in the rain-soaked hills of south-west Poland, while Almeida exits after a crash
A last-gasp solo attack on a course marred by a crash and made even more treacherous by pouring rain in the hills of southwestern Poland gave Bart Lemmen (Visma-Lease a Bike) not only the stage victory but also the overall leader's jersey at the end of the shortened fourth stage of the Tour de Pologne.
Dropped by Lemmen on the long, first-category climb to Karpacz, rival Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana) then angrily charged forward on the final 1.5-kilometer ramp, coming within a hair's breadth of spoiling the Dutchman's success. In the end, however, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider held off for just a few meters, thus taking the first win of his professional career. Third place went to Axel Laurance (Netcompany-Ineos), about 14 seconds behind at the head of a now fragmented group.
The stage was marred by a massive crash about 40 kilometers from the finish, forcing organizers to suspend the race for nearly 40 minutes while ambulances attended to the injured, between 30 and 40 riders. Among the victims was the clear favorite for the overall victory, João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who managed to get up and continue, but suffered a severe cut to his left leg that forced him to get back on his bike and lose ground before the decisive finish.
After such a major crash, fears of further falls on the slippery descents prompted organizers to eliminate one of the final two scheduled climbs, the Category 1 Borowice. Despite this, the remaining climb was enough to spark a four-man breakaway, including the day's eventual winner, Lemmen.
For Fantacycling , Lemmen is a real wildcard, while Scaroni proves to be a reliable finisher even on short, tough climbs. Almeida's crash, however, is a wake-up call for those who had tipped him as a sure bet for the overall: the Portuguese rider could suffer in the upcoming stages, opening up interesting scenarios for those with outsiders like Laurance or Brenner on their team, both well-positioned in the top five today.
Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency
Sports journalist and cycling enthusiast, following professional cycling for over 10 years. Collaborates with FantaCycling to bring you the best analysis and news from the world of cycling.
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider takes his first pro victory with a solo attack in the rain-soaked hills of south-west Poland, while Almeida exits after a crash
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