Samuel Welsford (DSM) has achieved his first major victory on the road by beating Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin) in the fifth stage of the Tour of Turkey between Manisa and Ayvalik, of 186 kilometers.
The 26-year-old Australian, who is making his World Tour debut with the DSM this season after focusing on the track until now, has taken the wheel of Philipsen, who in turn had followed in the footsteps of Caleb Ewan and has come back with authority in the last meters of a sprint conditioned by a hard fall in the last kilometer. Third was Arvid de Kleijn (Human), ahead of Israel runners Rick Zabel and Itamar Einhorn. Mikel Aristi (Euskaltel) 48th, was the first Basque with the same time as the winner in a group of 88 cyclists with the first overall.
The Argentinian Eduardo Sepúlveda (Drone Hopper) continues to lead and Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel) is the best Basque, 19th, after gaining a position due to the abandonment of Nairo Quintana (Arkéa), who did not start as a result of the hard crash which did not prevent him from being fourth in the hilltop finish the day before. Kern Pharma remains the team leader.
The sixth stage between Edremit and Eceabat, of 201 kilometres, has a second exit port to form a breakaway that can arrive because the sprinters have no options as the finish line is located on a two-kilometre climb at 5.5%.
Miholjevic from the surprise in Sicily
Fran Miholjevic (CSF Friuli) has shown his quality by being the strongest of the breakaway and winning the third stage of the Giro di Sicilia between Realmonte and Piazza Armerina, 171 kilometers long, arriving with 41 seconds to the first group led by the Canadian Pier André Coté (Human) and Filippo Fiorelli (Bardiani), with sixth place for Vincenzo Nibali and fourteenth for Damiano Caruso.
The 19-year-old Croatian, who moved directly from the junior category to continental CSF Friuli last season, has also managed to take the lead from Damiano Caruso, who has moved in the last few kilometres.
Miholjevic has resisted the work of the Italian team and has been able to reach the leader’s jersey despite the fact that he relaxed in the last meters to celebrate his most important victory almost without believing it.
Caruso is second overall, 18 seconds behind Miholjevic, with Nibali third at 22, Fiorelli fourth at 23, Pozzovivo fifth at 24 and Kenny Elisson sixth at 28 ahead of Saturday’s last stage with a high finish on Etna.
Alejandro Franco, in Durango
Alejandro Franco (Gomur) has won the Aitor Bugallo Memorial in Durango alone for elite and sub’23 runners ahead of Jorge Gutiérrez (Lizarte) and Fergus Robinson (Eiser), which has given time to a group in which Enekoitz Azparren ( Laboral Kutxa) was fourth, the first Basque.
The rider from Valladolid from 2001, signed this season from Caja Rural, and Gutiérrez escaped on the last climb to Goiuria and Franco left alone on the descent to arrive with a few seconds ahead.
Ander Ganzabal (Eiser) has been proclaimed Biscayan champion ahead of Iker Trigo (Gomur). Alejandro Franco has won the mountains, Egoitz Aranzeta (Baqué) the flying goals and Lizarte by teams.
Van Aert will run the Paris Roubaix
The Jumbo Visma has confirmed the presence of Wout van Aert in Paris Roubaix on Sunday after being dropped from the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race due to a positive coronavirus. This Saturday the second edition of the women’s Paris Roubaix will be held without Basque runners.
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