A few kilometres before the line, Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) was out for the win. However, the strong field did not allow the Swiss rider to get away and at the line it was Belgian Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) who took the third stage in a sprint. The new overall leader is Alberto Bettiol (EF Education EasyPost).
The decisive phase of the stage began on the climb to the final KOM over the Albis Pass. Despite several attacks though there was still no clear leader in the 161-kilometer stage from Steinmaur to Rüschlikon. From a Swiss point of view unfortunately the preliminary decision was not to be made on the second last climb either. Marc Hirschi attacked three kilometres before the finish, gaining some valuable seconds from the peloton. However, he ran out of energy on the final climb and the chasing peloton put an end to the Swiss attack. “I had hoped that the peloton would be a little less organised and it unfortunately it was not the case,” Hirschi summed up after the race, “but I gave it a try because I thought I had a chance.”
And so the stage in Rüschlikon was decided in a sprint. Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) proved to have the strongest legs in the end. The Belgian won ahead of Stephen Williams (Israel Premier Tech) and Alberto Bettiol (EF Education EasyPost).
Luca Jenni claims the KOM Jersey
The first KOM in Oberwiel-Lieli was hotly contested on the road. Switzerland’s Luca Jenni (Swiss Cycling) was keen to secure the leader’s jersey in this classification. However, Roberto González (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini) denied him the opportunity and took the points by the narrowest of margins. At the end of the stage Jenni had the same number of points as the previous KOM leader, Gerben Kuypers (Intermarché Wanty). But as Jenni is ahead of Kuypers in the overall classification, the Swiss rider will start in the KOM jersey tomorrow.
There is a new GC leader as well. Alberto Bettiol, who placed second in today’s stage, takes the yellow jersey from Yves Lampaert (Soudal Quick-Step), who finished 46 seconds down.
