Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) sprinted to his biggest career win on the road in stage three of the Tour of Poland, outlasting the field in a grueling sprint.
The Czech cyclo-cross star bested Francesco Gavazzi (Astana) and Sacha Modolo (Colnago-CSF Inox) in Cieszyn, after hauling back a late move by Sergio Henao (Sky Procycling) and Mariek Rutkiewicz (Poland).
The finish was a bit too difficult for stage two winner Ben Swift (Sky Procycling), so Swift’s team-mate Ian Stannard briefly hit out in what looked like a bid for the stage win. Race leader Moreno Moser (Liquigas-Cannondale) was also involved but kicked too early, and it was Stybar who timed it the best.
The victory is Stybar’s second of the season, after he got stage four of the Four Days of Dunkirk in May.
Before Henao made his escape, two other groups were off the front during the final three circuits around Cieszyn. Stybar had attached to a powerful five-man group including Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM). After every escape group was hauled back, the Czeck rider still had enough to sprint for the win.
“It was quite a hard race. We had to work a lot to chase down the breakaway, but we shared the work with other teams,” Stybar said of the earlier break. “We were always in the first part of the group. In the local circuit, [Matteo] Trentin went in a breakaway and then I also entered in a breakaway at two laps to go. I didn't chase to protect Matteo and even because Van Avermaet, who was with me, could be dangerous for the GC. But then when Matteo was caught I still managed to stay in the front and make the sprint.
“Matteo put me and [Michal] Kwaitkowski in the best position possible before the cobblestones at 1km to go. At 500 meters to go, I let Moser and Gavazzi pass me and I waited for a good moment. I made my move just before the last corner and I won. I'm really happy because the race passed through the Czech Republic, in my home country. I could really feel the crowd on the road supporting me. I'm also happy because I won my first UCI WorldTour race. The level here is very high, it's another important step in my career. This victory gave me more confidence.”
Early in the stage, Fumiyuki Beppu (Orica-GreenEdge) and Gabriele Bosisio (Utensilnord Named) formed the day’s main escape, which Mateusz Taciak (Poland) later joined. The trio built a big lead, over 17 minutes at one point, before the peloton picked up the pace.
As the bunch entered Cieszyn for the first of three loops around the city, Rutkiewicz hit out for the first time, which drew out Trentin and Jussi Veikkanen (FDJ-BigMat). Though they didn’t get far, Van Avermaet, Leukemans, Stybar, Roman Kreuziger (Astana) and Francesco Failli (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) formed a chasing group.
But the main bunch had nearly everything together at the start of the final lap, with only Rutkiewicz still away. Henao attacked and quickly bridged, but as the gradient picked up into the cobblestoned finish, the duo ran out of steam a bit short.