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Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aussie Storer set for epic duel to win Tour of the Alps
Michael Storer has cut a despondent and exhausted figure after seeing his lead in the Tour of the Alps disappear on the penultimate stage in Austria -- but the valiant Australian is still in prime position to achieve the biggest triumph of his career. The Perth rider produced another superlative ride, giving everything in a solo effort to protect his overnight 41-second lead on Thursday's 162.7km fourth 'queen' stage as he was forced to chase down a brilliant opportunist breakaway by inspired Dutch stage winner Thymen Arensman. Team Ineos rider Arensman had a magnificent day on a rain-hit mountainous slog from Sillian to Obertilliach, opening up a four-minute lead over his chasers at one point as he caught Storer's Tudor Pro outfit on the hop and forced the Aussie to have to eventually go it alone in pursuit to save his leader's green jersey. Queen Stage demands EVERYTHING! 📷 @CyclingphotoLIV #TotA #LiveUphill — Tour of The Alps (@Tourof_TheAlps) April 24, 2025 Michael Storer (top right) gave everything in the leader's green jersey but was left shattered after his fourth-stage efforts. The 28-year-old Storer did a fantastic job, narrowing the gap to nearly a minute at one point before his efforts began to tell and he ended the stage third, one minute 23 seconds behind Arensman and five seconds adrift of Canadian Derek Gee. It meant Storer had surrendered his lead and will go into Friday's final stage now just 11 seconds behind. It's a margin so slender that new leader Arensman believes it may well still not be enough to stop the Australian prevailing in a final 122.2km slog around the Austrian town of Lienz full of tough, sharp ascents that will suit a pure climber like Storer. "I think Michael's in the shape of his life and it's going to be really hard to keep him behind," said Arensman, recognising a man in rare form after Storer's fantastic stage win in the snow at Paris-Nice. "I will try my best, but it's going to be really hard with the shape that Michael's in." But it remains to be seen just how much Thursday's efforts took out of Storer as he slumped, seemingly completely drained, after the stage, and even had to be helped taking his helmet off. He didn't fancy speaking after the ride, but his mind will doubtless be racing back to the 2022 edition which also finished in the Tyrolean town of Lienz, where he finished runner-up to Romain Bardet while Arensman finished third overall. Our ambassador @Daniel87Oss spoke with the Melinda Green Jersey @mjstorer_au (@TudorProCycling) ahead of the Queen Stage #TotA #LiveUphill — Tour of The Alps (@Tourof_TheAlps) April 24, 2025 Storer may well start as the favourite this time, though, as there seems to be general agreement that he's looked the strongest rider all week. It appears a two-man duel, with the Aussie now 2:04 ahead of the third-placed Gee in the GC standings. Jai Hindley's bid for victory suffered in the tough conditions as the 2022 Giro d'Italia winner had to settle for 12th place on the day and is now ninth overall, more than four-and-a-quarter minutes behind.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aussie Storer scenting victory in Tour of the Alps
Australian Michael Storer has continued his excellent start to the European cycling season as he protected his lead in the Tour of the Alps and homed in on the biggest triumph of his career. But while the Tudor Pro Cycling ace held on to his 41-second lead in the five-day tour in Austria and Italy after a tough third stage on Wednesday, another Australian star Jai Hindley still looked a threat to his compatriot in fourth place. Storer had made his mark in Tuesday's mountainous second stage, soloing into Mezzolombardo after attacking 11km from home on the final climb and opening up his unexpected big lead over the field. Here is your top 3 in the GC!🎨 Dennis Pasini/Vitesse#TotA #LiveUphill — Tour of The Alps (@Tourof_TheAlps) April 23, 2025 That had been 28-year-old Storer's second striking stage victory of the season following his triumph from the breakaway in the snow on the penultimate stage of Paris-Nice in March. On Wednesday in Italy, Storer, again looking in the form of his life this season after enjoying a couple of Grand Tour stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana four years ago, was happy to defend his lead. He came home safely with the pursuing peloton on the 145.5km route between Sterzing and Innichen as home favourite Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) grabbed victory by 19 seconds, with Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe's Hindley grabbing a six-second bonus by leading home the pursuers in second in a sprint finish. Thursday's fourth stage could prove decisive, another mountainous trek over 162.7km in Austria from Sillian to Obertilliach, but the undemonstrative Storer sounds quietly confident as he looks forward to the final two legs of the tour. Michael Storer takes Stage 2 and the GC lead at the Tour of the Alps! 👏 — Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) April 22, 2025 "When you're the strongest, you can just ride away like I did today," he had declared on Tuesday. "That feeling doesn't come often. I've only felt it on the days I've won before. When you feel like that, you're capable of a lot. I'm also stronger than last year, and that's really thanks to Tudor, who stand behind me and give me the support and belief I've been missing the last few years." Hindley, the 2022 Giro d'Italia winner, is now within 45 seconds of Storer's lead in fourth place, while second-placed Italian Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and third-placed Frenchman Paul Seixas (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) are both 41 seconds behind.
