Power Takes Young Rider Jersey in Tour d’Azerba√Ødjan
WAIS cyclist Robert Power secured the best young rider jersey and seventh position overall on the final stage of racing at the Tour d’Azerba√Ødjan on Sunday.
It is the best general classification result to date for the young Australian- who celebrated his 19th birthday on Sunday- in his first season with the Jayco-AIS World Tour Academy team. The team went into the five-day tour with big aspirations for Power, due to the hilly parcours and the young rider’s promising recent results in Europe.
“This would have to rate as my best result in a tour,” said Power. “I am really hopeful that it’s a good sign of things to come. It means a lot to me, because the team worked really hard this week. We hoped to get this jersey and it gives a bit back to my teammates who worked so hard. It’s a good feeling.”
Power completed the tour alongside fellow WAIS scholarship holder Brad Lindfield, who did a mountain of work in supporting Power’s young rider and GC ambitions.
The first two stages of racing in the tour were uneventful for the Australian National team, as riders battled strong winds and difficult conditions on the opening sprint stages. Friday’s lumpy 180 kilometre stage three was the first test for the climbers, but a break of three riders escaped early and stayed away for the majority of the stage. They were caught only metres from the line by eventual stage winner Youcef Reguigi (MTN Qhubeka). Power rode conservatively to finish with the bunch in 24th place, in anticipation of the following day’s mountain stage.
Saturday’s Queen stage of the tour featured three major climbs and concluded with a 22 kilometre hors category climb all the way to the summit finish in Priqulu. After missing the stage’s early break of 15 riders, which included eventual winner Linus Gerdemann (MTN Qhubeka), Power climbed strongly in the chase group to take 14th place on the stage. The result was good enough to put him in the lead of the young rider classification and move him into seventh overall.
“Stage four started very aggressively,” said Sport Director Brian Stephens. “Around 15 guys got away in the first ten kilometres, including many overall contenders. We missed the break, but despite that Rob climbed really well and attacked what was left of the main bunch on the final 22 kilometre climb to finish in 14th.”
Following stage four, Power praised the efforts of his teammates for setting him up for a good result on the stage that he had targeted at the beginning of the week. It was an effort that paved the way for his final result on Sunday.
“I was able to get to the last climb pretty fresh, thanks to the efforts of my teammates,” said Power. “It was great to be able to repay them by taking the young rider’s jersey and also a top ten GC position. I’d love to hold both of those positions and show what I am capable of in a UCI 1.2 race.”
The tour’s final stage consisted of a 120 kilometre loop around the capital Baku, followed by six laps of a 13.6 kilometre downtown circuit that included a steep cobbled climb. Power attacked in the closing kilometres of the 202 kilometre stage, but the group ultimately came together for a bunch sprint. Bradley Linfield was the team’s best finisher on stage five, in 22nd place, with Power next best in 27th.
“Today’s stage was really tough,” said Stephens. “The field disintegrated on the circuit, with a main group of about 15 guys sprinting for the stage win. Rob had a go and tried some very good attacks on the last lap, but he was brought back each time.”
“Brad Linfield rode very well in support of Rob today and managed to finish in the first group,” added Stephens. “Our only other finisher was Nick Schultz, he finished further down, after doing a great job for Rob earlier on. We are very happy with the way the guys rode and with Rob’s result at the end of the week.”
Ilnur Zakarin (RusVelo) managed to hang on to the overall lead that he took from Australian Will Clarke (Drapac) on stage four. Vitaly Buts (Kolss) was second, while Australian Darren Lapthorne (Drapac) rounded out the general classification podium, capping off a great week for the Australian Drapac squad.
Next up on the program for Jayco-AIS World Tour Academy is the Olympias Tour, which starts on Monday in the Netherlands.
-CyclingAustralia