Tour of Austria: climb, and space for all

Uphill? Lots of it. Boredom? Nope. Champions? Lots of them. Plain? Nope. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Tour of Austria: a race that returns to be held after a three-year stop, a race that makes the many climbs and the beauty of the places crossed its strong points.

Five stages, which will see the EOLO KOMETA boys try to be protagonists after the exertions of the national championships in a group that will see the presence of four World Tour formations. A team without a designated captain, who will have the freedom to have fun and entertain. So, good road to Simone Bevilacqua, Alessandro Fancellu, Andrea Garosio, Javi Serrano, Simone Raccani, Samuele Rivi and David Martin: it is up to them to hold our colors high, and try to give us some results.

Five stages, we said. Off on July 2 with start and finish in Dorbrin after 147.6 km while the next day the stage from St. Anton to Innsbruck will relive the route of the 2018 World Championships. On July 4, the menu includes 148.5 km from Sillian to Alpendorf with the climb of the legendary Grossglockner. It then continues with the stage from Alpendorf to Steyr, a good day for breakaway hunters, while the overall winner will be decided on the final stage that will take the peloton from Ybbs to the uphill finish in Sonntagberg.

Jesus Hernandez: “Without a captain like Fortunato or Albanese, we will give each rider a chance to make his race and play his cards. There will be two stages with probable sprints for Davìd, for Serrano there will be stages with tougher finishes, Rivi and Fancellu with Bevilacqua and Raccani will be able to insert themselves in the breakaways while with Garosio we will keep an eye on the general classification because he has deserved this role with his last races in which he has been very good.”

Alessandro Fancellu: “This is a race I’ve never done but I’ve always loved it because they are wonderful areas, and the stages reserve good terrain for everyone and for attacking. It will be a good week, I hope to be among the protagonists.” 

Andrea Garosio: “I wanted to race, I wanted to and I’m glad the team summoned me. The race is tough but not impossible, there is room to do well and my condition is really good. I hope I deserve the trust the team is giving me.”