Kim Heiduk joined a group of four that started what was to become today’s breakaway. The start was hectic with new groups attacking all the time, resulting in a large break of 16 riders. The group got about 4 minutes, but they lost a lot over the large late mountain, reaching the flat with just 1’20 left.

Kim and David Martin Romero from Kometa Cycling U23 fought bravely, being the last survivors, they were reeled in with a little under 20 km left.

Noah took the lead of the Lotto - Kern Haus train, aiming to deliver Christian Koch as last man for sprinter Mario Spengler.

A difficult technical finish with a very late sharp curve, prevented Mario from passing Christian at the right moment although the setup was theoretically fine. Christian Koch ended up Lotto - Kern Haus best as 5th, Mario Spengler 8th and Noah 9th. With 3 riders in top 10 a fine result.

Noah took his first ranking points for the new team, Jarrad Drizners from Hagens Berman – Axeon won the race.

Tobias Knaup join Remi Capron, Akros - Excelsior – Thömus and Oscar Dubian Galvis Atehortua from EPM – Scott in the first acceleration of the day. It develops into a breakaway of 15 riders. The group never get the rhythm to distance the pack with more than about 2’45� and it is all over with about 15 km left.

As Team Lotto - Kern Haus haven’t got a strong rider for a mass sprint finish we set up a long fast train to attempt to get a bit of a head start.

The finish is quite straight forward, in this situation maybe not the best for us as the stronger sprinters can use the lead-out without any obstacles, but our tactics forcing others to start a bit early seems to work well as we get two riders in top 10, a good result considering the opponents we face. Christian Koch 7th Noah Takaima 10th.

The race was won by Joris Nieuwenhuis from Tartu 2024 - Balticchaincycling.com

Vuksich Team Colpack Ballan and Burr Ho HKSI Pro Cycling Team opens the race, Noah sitting in 2nd group trying to close the gap, but Noah’s group was brought back.

With Noah out of competition for now, Sven Zurawski attempted to replace him following a counter attack, but also Sven was reeled in after a long period sitting alone. He was caught just as the harder climbing started and fell directly through the peloton, now sitting alone on the wrong side of the pack.

With a relative fast pack not allowing the breakaway too much time, Noah decided to give it one last go, trying to close the 1’18 to Burr Ho and further about a minute to a trio now leading the race.

Noah caught Ho with 7.2 km to the top, still 46� behind the leading group.

It took Noah about a kilometer to close the gap to the stage leaders, but he was now close to his limits and had to rest and the back of the group.
The attack came with 1.2 km to the top, Noah could not hang on to the hard push from Michael O' Loughlin EvoPro Racing but came 3rd at the KoM taking 6 points.

When the attacks came for the 2nd KoM climb, Noah was too drained by the long pursuit and was distanced, after the KoM he fell back to help with the sprint.

It started to rain a lot at the last third of the stage, but luckily no one crashed. Over the last uncategorized hill some 25 km from the line, Jonathan Dinkler attempted to bridge to the breakaway, but did not make it. The breakaway fought hard and lasted almost to the start of the sprint.

It came to a photo finish between stage winner Alan Banaszek Mazowsze Serce Polski and Bryan Gómez Equipo Continental Supergiros.

Best from Team Lotto - Kern Haus Mario Spengler 8th.

Noah was supposed to attack for the KoM, but he was not able to, being caught in traffic as the flag dropped. Instead it was Jonathan Dinkler entering a pursuit of a trio already some seconds further ahead, but the pack would not let his group go, Lotto - Kern Haus ended up without a rider in the morning breakaway.

Then when the slopes started to hit 5% towards the Cat.2 Noah attacked again, he got a gap to the pack, but was forced to bridge the 1’36 up to the leading riders. Just like yesterday Noah was able to close the gap but not able to counter when the KoM sprint started, only getting two KoM points, sitting in a third group over the KoM with Marcel Neuhauser, Maloja Pushbikers

On the downhill Neuhauser crashed right in front of Noah, but miraculously Noah avoided the crash.

Seven riders reunited between the two KoM climbs including Neuhauser seemingly not injured. Noah could not follow the acceleration from Elliott Horlock EvoPro Racing and Gavin Vuksich Team Colpack Ballan, but came 3rd taking another two KoM points.

The finish was mayhem for Team Lotto - Kern Haus every rider marked by the climbing and the packs high pace pursuit of the breakaway, hardly able to hold on to the pack.

The entire podium was riders from the breakaway Juraj Sagan Team Colpack Ballan in front of Elliott Horlock EvoPro Racing and Daniil Pronskiy Vino - Astana Motors, but the pack was right behind and the only rider from Team Lotto - Kern Haus losing time was Leon Eduard Brescher.

Best from the team was Mario Spengler 12th.

For the first time in the race Noah was able to counter the first acceleration, getting away with three other riders Cristian Raileanu EuroCyclingTrips - CMI Pro Cycling Team, Thomas Umhaller Maloja Pushbikers and Daniil Fominykh Minsk Cycling Club the group soon had more than three minutes.

These riders were in general, better climbers than Noah, he would have to play it very carefully to get KoM points, but at least none of them had KoM points previously so he only needed 6 point to win the KoM jersey, if no other rider would get points today.

The weakest competitor Thomas Umhaller opened the KoM from 1.7 km, that was a gift for Noah as Umhaller had opened just a fraction too early and Noah would beat him to the line. Now Noah head the provisional KoM lead, likely to safe an otherwise difficult race for the team.

The next KoM was actually no longer important, but was a nice extra bonus for Noah to get another 4 points as 2nd, extending his overall lead to 6 points.

Now it was about a possible stage win, the four riders had about 3 minutes over the KoM and that was dropping quite slowly, making for a situation that could go both ways for a long period, especially because the pack had broken up behind them, with just 34 riders left in the pursuit.

They were caught with less than 4 km left, it came to a man v man reduced sprint from a group where some of the top sprinters was absent, but as so often before no gaps was given. Tilen Finkšt Ljubljana - Gusto – Santic won the stage. Best from Team Lotto - Kern Haus Simon Laib 14th.

Overall the race was won by Juraj Sagan Team Colpack Ballan. Best from Team Lotto - Kern Haus Noah Takaima 9th who had collected some bonus seconds from his breakaways.

Juraj Sagan also won the points classification and Noah Takaima as mentioned the KoM, this was the 2nd time Noah took the KoM in this race. Tilen Finkšt was the best young rider.