Michael Storer (Groupama-FDJ) used a dominant performance to earn a solo victory on stage 3 of Tour de l’Ain. The Australian distanced everyone on the uphill finish of the final stage and won the overall title for the second time in three years.
Kenny Elissonde (Lidl-Trek) fell off Storer’s late attack and finished second, 2:02 back. Lilian Calmejane (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) sprinted to third in the chase group for third, 2:30 back.
With 26.3km, Storer attacked from the front of the race and Elissonde was the only rider to match the acceleration. Storer then set off alone to the finish to pick up the 10 bonus seconds and seal the GC as previous race leader Jefferson Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost) was isolated and struggled on seventh and final categorised climb with 25km to go.
“I knew I had good form coming into this race and the team knew that too. We made a good plan, we had such good cohesion,” Storer said. “It’s pretty rare to have such a good group of guys, we went exactly where we wanted to go. The guys did a perfect pace, and I’m so, so happy to be able to finish it off. I just wish the finish was 20k sooner, it was really a long way through that valley.”
Cepeda fell out of the top 10 as Storer, who was tied on time with the EF Education rider entering the final stage, secured the GC by 2:22 over Elissonde, who moved up one spot. Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R Citroën) was third.
Adding to the difficulty of the intense day of 137km with seven classified climbs across the Jura mountains were gusty winds.
Groupama-FDJ took control at the front of the peloton on the penultimate climb in pursuit of the five-rider breakaway.
The breakaway of five got away early and opened a gap of 2:45 with 87km to go - Lilian Calmejane (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Clément Venturini (AG2r-Citroën), Pierre-Luc Périchon (Cofidis), Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies) and Théo Delacroix (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93). The last survivor of the early breakaway, Calemjane, was swept up with 41km to go.
Storer’s victory came despite the crash he suffered at the finish of stage 2, when he slid across the line after making contact with Cepeda in the sprint.
“That was the big question mark this morning. I was pretty worried last night about how I’d sleep but I woke up feeling ok, just a little bit sore,” Storer said. “I told the guys I’d give the word around halfway if we’d go for it or not and I said I’d back myself.”
His second Tour de l’Ain victory also came on the very day it was announced that Storer would leave Groupama-FDJ at season’s end to join the ambitious Tudor Pro Cycling squad. The Australian was one of seven new signings confirmed on Wednesday morning.
“I really wanted to do my best today in the race, I wanted to help the group bring some really good motivation,” Storer said of his Groupama-FDJ team. “It’s pretty cool to have a group of guys so motivated to attack the race.”
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