Italian Andrea Bagioli delivered a long-awaited success for Lidl-Trek in Steyr today, securing his team’s first stage victory at the 75th Lidl Tour of Austria. Thousands of fans created an electrifying atmosphere throughout Steyr, particularly in the fan zone on the Porscheberg. The incredible support also gave wings to Gregor Mühlberger, with the Lower Austrian now on the verge of the biggest triumph of his career.
The penultimate stage of the Lidl Tour of Austria covered 170.5 kilometres and 2,325 metres of climbing and was centred around Steyr and the new “360° Alpenland” tourism region. Following the Škoda intermediate sprints in the spa town of Bad Hall and in Micheldorf, the route led through Kirchdorf and Hinterstoder before returning to Steyr. The race then entered a 25-kilometre finishing circuit featuring the notorious Porscheberg, where thousands of spectators packed a dedicated fan zone along the 1.3-kilometre climb, which reaches gradients of up to 19.3 percent.
Hrinkow Advarics Go Full Gas
Before the second Škoda intermediate sprint in Micheldorf, after around 35 kilometres, four riders successfully broke clear. Poland’s Piotr Pękala and Germany’s Mauro Brenner were joined by two riders from local team Hrinkow Advarics, Valentin Poschacher and Slovakia’s Richard Riška, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Ahead of the second Mautner Markhof mountain classification at Sandner Linde, 50 kilometres from the finish, the Austrian national team and the WorldTour squads increased the pace in the peloton, reducing the gap to the four leaders to two and a half minutes.
Wearing the red race number as the most active rider, Piotr Pękala reached the first passage of the finish line and the Škoda intermediate sprint in Steyr alone, ahead of Poschacher. The peloton followed around one minute and 20 seconds behind.
On the approach to the Porscheberg, the major teams took control. The final solo leader, Pękala, was caught with 20 kilometres remaining, triggering a series of attacks.
On the Porscheberg, Gregor Mühlberger broke clear with three other riders. Seven more riders managed to bridge across to the leaders only in the final kilometres before Steyr.
The eleven riders contested the stage victory in a sprint, where Andrea Bagioli of Lidl-Trek claimed his first win at the Tour of Austria. The runner-up of Il Lombardia defeated UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Kevin Vermaerke and best young rider Andrew August of INEOS Grenadiers.
Gregor Mühlberger took no risks in the sprint and crossed the line at the back of the leading group.
“We desperately wanted to win a stage,” Bagioli said at the finish. “The first few days were not easy, but today everything worked out for the team. Everyone says tomorrow’s final stage to Vienna should be easy because it is only just over 100 kilometres. But that is exactly why many teams will try something, and we are prepared accordingly.”
Gregor Mühlberger on Verge of Career-Defining Triumph
After four stages, Gregor Mühlberger leads the general classification by one minute and 25 seconds over UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Kevin Vermaerke. Bauke Mollema of Lidl-Trek is third, one minute and 40 seconds behind.
“The atmosphere gave me goosebumps,” said Mühlberger. “It was unbelievable to see so many people there, especially so many familiar faces and, of course, my whole family. The Porscheberg was an absolute cauldron and gave me so much motivation.”
“At the top, after the sprint classification, I decided not to force anything else and to reach the finish safely. Two stage victories are a dream, and now we are fully focused on winning the Tour in Vienna.”
Asked what a possible overall victory would mean to him, Mühlberger added: “Emotionally, winning the national championship while my wife was sitting in the team car as a support staff member was the greatest moment. But from a sporting perspective, nothing could top winning my home Tour.”
There were several changes in the classification standings today. Thanks to his second place, Kevin Vermaerke now leads the Škoda points classification ahead of Mühlberger.
Piotr Pękala moved to the top of the Mautner Markhof mountains classification following his aggressive ride.
Andrew August of Netcompany-INEOS will take the DAN Küchen jersey for the best young rider to Vienna tomorrow.
Philipp Hofbauer of Team Vorarlberg finished 15th and was the second-best Austrian. He will wear the Gebrüder Weiss jersey for the best Austrian rider on behalf of Gregor Mühlberger on tomorrow’s final stage to Vienna.
Final Stage from Langenlois to Vienna Tomorrow
The Lower Austrian town of Langenlois will host the Tour for the first time.
The final stage of the Lidl Tour of Austria will start at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow in the historic town centre at Holzplatz, surrounded by impressive wine estates and picturesque squares. The riders will then tackle the 109-kilometre route to the Austrian capital, Vienna.
After two opening laps featuring the Schiltern mountain classification and passages through Langenlois, the route continues through Kammern and Kirchberg am Wagram, where the second intermediate sprint will be contested.
After passing through Tulln, the riders will reach the next mountain classification at Hainbuch in the Vienna Woods after 83 kilometres.
From Mauerbach, the race heads directly past Schönbrunn Palace, where the Tour 75 special classification will be held, before continuing via Wienzeile and Operngasse to Vienna’s Ringstrasse.
The final stage winner will be crowned in front of the Burgtheater from approximately 3:45 p.m.
The last “Sprint Royal” in front of the Burgtheater took place in 2014, when Austria’s Marco Haller claimed victory.
Text and Video Credits: Tour of Austria; Photo credits Tour of Austria & Expa Pictures
