News: Stewart Second in Limousin

Jasper Philipsen took his first win of the season for UAE Team Emirates on stage 3 of the Tour du Limousin with Britain’s Jake Stewart second.

News: Stewart Second in Limousin

Stewart: “I proved that I was capable of securing a UCI victory, so that’s the next goal.

Photo: Zoe Soullard – Tour du Limousin

Jasper Philipsen took his first win of the season with a dominating performance by UAE Team Emirates on stage 3 of the Tour du Limousin with Britain’s Jake Stewart second. The Belgian Philipsen timed his move to perfection with a burst of power in the closing 200m to come around young talent Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ) for a clear victory, just 24 hours after his teammate Fernando Gaviria claimed the teams first win of the race.

Rui Costa (2013 world champion) made the first decisive move on the final climb of the Cote de la Trassoudaine with 13km left to race in a select group of 4 riders. The group would swell on the descent with the Emirates squad taking control of the bunch with 4km to go. Philipsen surfed the wheels until the uphill kick, guided by teammate Costa, before claiming his maiden win of the season and the 18th win for the team.

Jasper Philipsen : “It was a really hard stage with the most meters of climbing than any other day this week.For me it was a push to be there in the final but we had a strong team and the guys controlled it for me nicely in the last kilometres. Fernando was really good yesterday and it gave me motivation to do something also today. I am happy my condition is growing and that I could finish it off with a win. I didn’t so much expect a win this week but I hoped it would come. The last couple of years I’ve had a lot of top-5s and podiums so to finally get another win is satisfying.”

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For Britain’S Jake Stewart, the second place was not a surprise to his teammates who knew after stage what the young British rider wasd capable of. Four miles out, after a regrouping, the Groupama-FDJ team tried to control the race under the care of Tobias Ludvigsson for their young Englishman.

“I didn’t even tell them,” said the team’s Franck Pineau. “With what he had demonstrated on the first day, it was just obvious. They (the riders) did not not asked any questions. When they saw Jake, they first encouraged him over the race radio and they did their best they could with him in the finish.” Pineau continued adding “Personally, I am discovering his potenital, continued Franck. I discover not only a pleasant boy to live with, but what is more one with already a very good level. He manages to express himself in the midst of WorldTour riders. It is very good.”

Jake Stewart meanwhile says “I proved that I was capable of securing a UCI victory, so that’s the next goal. On paper, it looked like a very tough stage but it was actually pretty quiet until 70 kilometers from the finish. On the last climb, the guys tried to take time and push. It was great because it split the field from behind. During this time, I was saving myself at the head of the group.”

“At eight kilometers, I tried my turn with three guys but we got caught. Then Tobias and Olivier helped me in the final and placed me very well for the sprint. In the end, I just didn’t have the legs to beat Philipsen on this tough uphill sprint. Regardless, this second podium of the week gives me a lot of confidence. Tomorrow we will start five seconds behind in the yellow jersey and hopefully we can bring the overall standings back. It would be really great. In any case, I proved that I was in good condition and that I was capable of securing a UCI victory this year.”

Today’s final stage will take the riders from Lac de Saint-Pardoux to Limoges (167k) in what is set to be another sprint finale.

Stage 3
1. Jasper Philipsen UAE Team Emirates 04:36:21
2. Jake Stewart Groupama-FDJ @ st
3. Benjamin Declercq Team Arkea-Samsic
4. Piet Allegaert Cofidis
5. Gonzalo Serrano Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
6. Antonio Angulo Euskaltel-Euskadi
7. Sergey Chernetskiy Gazprom-RusVelo
8. Rui Costa UAE Team Emirates
9. Asbjørn Kragh Andersen Team Sunweb
10. Kevin Ledanois Team Arkea-Samsic

20. Connor Swift Team Arkea-Samsic @ 09
83. Sam Brand Team Novo Nordisk @ 15:22
104. Enrique Sanz Equipo Kern Pharma @ 17:55

Overall
1. Luca Wackermann Vini Zabú-KTM 13:20:06
2. Jake Stewart Groupama-FDJ @ 05
3. Kevin Ledanois Team Arkea-Samsic @ 07

8. Rui Costa UAE Team Emirates @ 16
16. Connor Swift Team Arkea-Samsic @ 26

Full Results Here