Stefan Denifl of Aqua Blue Sport nears the top of the epic Kitzbüheler Horn stage to seize Tour of Austria yellow jersey (All Photos: Aqua Blue Sport)
Aqua Blue Sport in Tour of Austria yellow jersey
Aqua Blue Sport has reached another huge milestone in its development, taking its first ever yellow jersey.
Stefan Denifl has taken the race lead in the Tour of Austria. It comes just weeks after Larry Warbasse took the Irish pro team’s first UCI win.
And just as US national champion Warbasse triumphed in the mountains at the Tour de Suisse, so too did Denifl when up the road yesterday.
Riding his home tour he was 2nd on the Kitzbüheler Horn stage finish; a result good enough for him to seize yellow.
The 29-year-old finished 17 seconds behind winner Angel Miguel Lopez (Astana) on the short but brutal 82.7km leg from Salzburg to Kitzbüheler Horn.
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The race split considerably and now Aqua Blue Sport finds itself not only with a man in yellow, but with a handsome lead.
Denifl leads by 41 seconds from Delio Fernandez (Delko Marseille Provence KTM), with Lopez 3rd at 56 seconds.
When an early escape went clear, Astana were keen not to let it ride away too far. And after the escapees were recaptured the stage came down to the final summit climb.
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Not long after that started the main field blew to pieces, with a select group of 12 emerging very quickly.
With some 5km remaining to the top of the climb, eventual winner Lopez took flight. And on the 19 per cent slops Denifl chased him solo.
As the home rider challenging so well up the climb he received a fantastic reception from the fans who lined the mountainside.
Adding to the occasions was the fact Denifl’s father, a mountain biker Olympian, had stencilled his name on the road all the way to the finish.
And while the stage win eluded him, the yellow jersey was his.
“It was a good day for us - for me and my teammates,” Denifl said.
“We have worked so well, and so hard for the whole week. I am so happy for how the guys have helped me this week. This is one of my goals.
“The climb today is close to my home place, the Kitzbüheler, it is a brutal climb. I paced myself pretty well and I was really close to the stage win.
“I want to say thanks so much to my DS Nicki Sørensen who helped who helped me keep everything under control.
“We do not have the stage win but we have the yellow jersey. I am pretty confident with my teammates for tomorrow.”
Mullen and Brammeier
Sep Vanmarcke (Cannondale-Drapac) took the yellow jersey into yesterday's stage.
The Belgian was helped into the race lead by Irish champion Ryan Mullen earlier this week. But was never going to hold it in the mountains.
Vanmarcke would finish 77th yesterday; at 13:07 and so tumbling down the standings.
Mullen came home 13:29 down in 80th place yesterday. The only other Irish rider in the race, Matt Brammeier (Aqua Blue Sport), was three places and six seconds further back.
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