Queen Stage of the Junior Peace Race

Teplice, May 11, 2025 – The third day of the Peace Race Juniors brought riders the most demanding stage yet, crossing from the Czech Republic into Germany with a picturesque finish in the mountain town of Olbernhau, nestled in the Ore Mountains. At 112.7 km in length, the stage was not only long but also extremely hilly, featuring several categorized climbs and intermediate sprints.

Fast Start and First Intermediate Sprint
The stage started in Teplice, and the peloton immediately set a fierce pace. After 5 km, the group remained compact, and by the 10th km the average speed had reached 48 km/h. The first intermediate sprint at 11.5 km in Duchcov saw a tight battle among sprinters, ultimately won by Mikolaj Legiec from Poland, followed by Alessio Magagnotti of Italy and Gijs Schoonvelde of the Netherlands.

Mountain Challenge: Riders Face Tough Climbs and Technical Sections
After the 15 km mark, the peloton was still largely together, but just before the second intermediate sprint in Dubí (km 23), the pace began to rise. The riders then entered the mountainous section of the course, featuring steep ascents and challenging descents. At km 32 came the day’s first mountain points (GPM) on Cínovec, reaching an elevation of 849 meters – a segment that significantly shaped the rest of the stage.

First GPM and Early Breakaway
The climb at Cínovec was conquered by Vos Coleman (BEL), ahead of Czech rider Matěj Piták and Norwegian Kristian Haugetun. The peloton split soon after, and the breakaways began to form. A leading group of 30 riders emerged, with Italian Roberto Capello showing strong form, maintaining a lead of about 30 seconds over the chasing pack.

Key Moments of the Stage
Later, Ben Morin (CAN) and Karl Herzog (GER) bridged up to the front. The trio at the head of the race held their advantage for a while, but the peloton was relentless and gradually closed the gap. The second KOM at Kalek (km 92.3) was won by Giacomo Rosato (ITA), ahead of Gustave Blanc (FRA) and Beckam Drake (USA).

Crash and Final Sprint
On the final straight, a crash involving one of the breakaway riders dramatically impacted the outcome of the sprint, costing the affected rider a better finish. Just before 5 PM, Karl Herzog (GER) crossed the line first, celebrating a hard-earned victory on home soil.
 

Výsledky - 3. etapa (Teplice - Olbernhau, 112,7 km):
1. HERZOG Karl 2:45:35
2. Friedl Anatol
3. OKSNES Hakon
4. BLANC Johan
5. PITÁK Matěj - všichni stejný čas

Celkově po 3. etapy:
1. JACKOWIAK Jan (POL) 06:50:48
2 . HERZOG Karl (GER) +00:05
3 . CAPELLO Roberto (ITA) +00:10
4 . OKSNES Hakon Eiksund (NOR) +00:14
5 . ANDERSEN Noah (DEN) +00:19
9 . PITÁK Matěj (CZE) +00:32