Remco Evenepoel wins Tour de Pologne

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Remco Evenepoel sealed overall victory in Tour de Pologne, the first WorldTour stage race win to his name, as his Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate Davide Ballerini claimed victory in a bunch sprint on the final stage in Kraków. 

Ballerini came from behind in a disorganised finale and manoeuvred his way to the front in the last 120 meters of the stage, finding just enough space to launch his effort and deny Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Alberto Dainese (Team Sunweb).

Evenepoel crossed the line safely, surrounded by his teammates, and celebrated his fourth stage race victory this season. 20-year-old has won every race he has entered this year, taking over the race lead after a spectacular 51km solo performance on Saturday's queen stage in Bukowina Tatrzańska.

Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) and Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) rounded out the general classification podium, 1:52 and 2:08 down on Evenepoel.

"Of course it's a great victory. It was not easy because of what happened to Fabio Jakobsen... [There were] some bad days and nights," said Ballerini after the stage. "It's better now with Fabio, it's a good thing. We stayed focused this week, we kept riding for Fabio. We win the general classification, we win today – it's very beautiful.

"Today wasn't an easy day because we started on a climb, we started full gas. We kept the focus and thanks to the team for it. Pascal was very strong but I managed to win."

Overall winner Evenepoel also reflected on his teammate Jakobsen's crash, adding that the team has done well to "dominate the race" after the emotional turmoil suffered during the week.

"For the team the hardest part of this race was the situation with Fabio," he said. "We've been through a lot of emotions this week and if you see how we finish it off – two stage wins in a row and we take the GC home – I think that we can only say that we have been dominating this race.

"It's true, my fourth race this season and my fourth GC win. It's been an amazing season so far and I think it's my 9th victory of the season already, so it's really great.

"I am really grateful that I have such a great team around me. They believe in me every time we go to a stage race. They really think I can win the GC and then they do everything for me. I do my best, I do my job, I try to win the race."

How it unfolded

With the general classification set after Remco Evenepoel’s breathtaking raid on Saturday, the race was heading to the capital of Lesser Poland for another bunch sprint conclusion. The sprinters were not given a free pass since the race began in Zakopane, a town located at the foot of the Tatra Mountains.

The uncategorised climb of Butorowy Wierch and second category climb Ząb in the first 10 kilometres of the stage looked to ensure crystallisation of an early breakaway and after a 40km downhill section some more climbing followed with Krowiarki Pass and Góra Makowska. At 68 kilometres remaining, the roads flattened and sprinters could think of regrouping and organising a coherent chase.

James Whelan (EF Pro Cycling) animated early moves up Ząb and took mountains classification points there, as the bunch squabbled to establish who is fit to join the breakaway. The Australian was soon joined by Luke Rowe (Team Ineos), Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R La Mondiale) and Hugo Houle (Astana) and the four took off while Przemysław Kasperkiewicz gritted his teeth in an attempt to bridge over.

Bouchard took honours on at the race’s last intermediate sprint, while Kasperkiewicz was allowed to make the junction and the five soldiered on with 3 minutes advantage over the main peloton. Deceuninck-Quick-Step riders seemed happy with that and race calmed down ahead of Krowiarki.

Polish rider took points atop the summit and kept the hammer down towards the final climb, taking points there as well. The breakaway wasn’t gaining any ground, though: with 77 kilometres remaining the gap went down to 1:20.

Things got more tense with 68 kilometres to go as seven riders went clear of the main bunch. Alexis Gougeard (AG2R La Mondiale) and Jos van Emden (Jumbo-Visma) pushed the pace on the descent and after a few kilometres caught up with the original breakaway, while Steff Cras (Lotto Soudal), Charles Planet (Team Novo Nordisk), Patrick Konrad (Bora-hansgrohe), Emil Lepins (Trek-Segafredo) and Lluis Mas (Movistar Team) were a part of a disorganised chase group.

Gougeard and Bouchard started working together with Van Emden and the gap quickly went up to 1:50 inside the final 50 kilometres. Trek-Segafredo tasked their riders with helping to chase the seven down and soon more riders started contributing, with Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) taking turns at the front as well.

Kasperkiewicz dropped from the breakaway 42 kilometres before the line as Van Emden powered at the front in the time trial mode. Reinforcements were called up in the bunch: Patrick Konrad, Maximilian Schachmann (Bora-hansgrohe) and Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) started contributing and the situation was again under control.

Van Emden prolonged the break’s life but their adventure came to an end on the second of the three local laps in Kraków. With 7.6km remaining, Groupama-FDJ and Team Sunweb started setting things up with Bahrain-McLaren and Bora-hansgrohe tucked in behind them.

Then came world champion Mads Pedersen, pacing his Trek-Segafredo colleagues in the final three kilometres and John Degenkolb attempted to spoil his competitors’ party by starting the sprint early in the final straight.

Ackermann was not to be denied again: his green jersey flashed at the middle as he launched for the line. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-McLaren) and Jasper Philippsen (UAE-Team Emirates) were not able to match his acceleration but Davide Ballerini’s patience paid off. The 25-year-old saw a gap between Ackermann and Bauhaus opening and sneaked in, producing a victorious move to the line.

Results

General classification