Vacek wins the stage to Altenberg

Teplice/Altenberg – similarly to last year, the Czech national team rider Karel Vacek wins the challenging mountain stage to the German town Altenberg. Nonetheless, Remco Evenepoel of Belgium defended the yellow jersey well and did not give a chance for Karel to get in the yellow. Nevertheless, the Czech rider still wishes to get into the lead, perhaps tomorrow.

"Winning a stage gives me some satisfaction after yesterdays stage, which did not go well. On the other hand, I had a good time trial and I won today's stage so there is improvement. With some luck I may get in yellow tomorrow. There is no reason to be afraid, we came to win and we are not interested in second place," the Czech team leader is not too humble in his comments. "Today there was head wind for most of the climb, there was no point wasting energy in a breakaway attempt. Tomorrow's stage will be very hard and saw today that top riders were suffering already, while I kept a bit in reserve. I am inclined to think that tomorrow the stage will be about minutes, not seconds." said Karel Vacek, still optimistic about his position.

Vaceks opponents do not agree. The current race leader, Remco Evenepoel from Belgium finished on Vaceks wheel second in todays stage. Despite that the Czech rider jumped up ten places in the GC, he is still only seventh, more than two minutes down. The Belguim rider is determined to retain his lead. "I kept my biggest challenger in check today without any major trouble, so I am content. I have a decent time advantage so I will not allow anybody to strip me of the yellow jersey," send a message to everybody the GC leader. The two riders are battling on the road, but otherwise they are friends. "We know each other with Karel. Next season we will be on the same team, the American squad Axeon Axela Merckxe,“ says Evenepoel.

The final stage will not be a walk trough a rose garden. There is 100 km of mountain terrain ahead of the peloton before they get to the finish in Terezín. for the first time in history, the "Village Départ" will be Benešov nad Ploučnici. Whether the Czech rider managed to challenge Evenepoel will be clear at half past twelve at the finish line. Jan Kašpar, will be heading there as well, he finished in the grupetto today, nineteen minutes after the leader. "The main task today was to bring Karel to the foot of the climb in a good position," said the team mate for the stage winner.

Results – 3rd stage:

1. Karel Vacek (Cze) 2:30:39

2. Remco Evenepoel (Bel)

3. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) - všichni stejný čas.

4. Ludvig Fischer Aasheim (Nor) +0:06

5. Samuele Rubino (Ita) +0:11

109. Jan Kašpar (Cze) +19:13