Archie Ryan takes second stage race podium of pro career in Austria

Archie Ryan couldn't dislodge Isaac del Toro from the leader's jersey at the Tour of Austria but the Irishman has taken the best result of his season

Archie Ryan (EF Education-EasyPost) has ended the Tour of Austria (2.1) with his best result of the season, even though he was unable to dislodge Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG) from the leader's jersey on the final day of racing.

Over the last week, Ryan went up against a formidable UAE Team Emirates XRG line-up spearheaded by del Toro, who roared back into top form after his 2nd place overall at Giro d'Italia in May.

Del Toro won three of the five stages on offer in Austria, with Ireland's Ryan really the only climber in the field able to manage the Mexican during the hardest points of the climbing stages.

Though they battled it out for victory over the past few days, the final stage today was a little calmer; a breakaway of riders not in contention for the general classification going up the road.

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And though that breakaway split, one rider from it survived to take the spoils; Bob Jungels (Ineos Grenadiers) attacking the breakaway with 40km to go and doing a solo ride to victory.

Jungels had gone clear on the HC climb of Furkajoch, with 130km to go, alongside Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost), Chris Juul-Jensen (Jayco-AlUla) and Luca Vergallito (Alpecin–Deceuninck). However, Jungels attacked them with just over 40km to go to win by 1:45.

Rui Costa (EF Education-EasyPost) led in the peloton for 2nd place from Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates - XRG), Anthon Charmig (XDS Astana Team) and Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek).

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Ryan had started the day in 2nd overall, 29 seconds down on del Toro with Rafal Majka, also of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, in 3rd at 47 seconds.

All three finished in the bunch today, which was trimmed right back, to just 26 riders after 144km of racing into Feldkirch. It featured 3,600 metres of climbing, most of it coming in the first half of the course.

Ryan was 18th on today's stage, de Toro 19th and Majka 15th, meaning no change in the overall; del Toro winning overall from Ryan and Majka.

Ryan's 2nd place is the second general classification podium finish of his pro career after also claiming 2nd overall last year at Coppi e Bartali (2.1), where he won a stage.

Darren Rafferty, an EF Education-EasyPost team mate of Ryan's, was 41st today at 10:13. He finished 22nd overall in what was his first race, aside from the National Road Championships last month, since riding the Giro d'Italia.

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