The Queen’s stage of the 64th Tour of Austria stretched over 141.3 kilometers from Lienz to St. Johann/Alpendorf. The highest point to be crossed was the Hochtor with a height of 2504 meters. After a joint escape NetApp’s Leo Koenig had to concede defeat only to Jacob Fuglsang (Team Radioshack). Robert Vrecer (Team Vorarlberg) reached the finish in third place.

With the successful escape Jakob Fuglsang secured his lead in the General Classification. Danilo Di Luca (Team Aqua e Sapone) and Steve Morabito (Team BMC) follow in second and third place respectively. Marcel Wyss was fifth to the finish line and remains in 10th place in the General Classification, Leo Koenig rises to the eleventh place in rank 17.

In the first Tour since his long break due to injury, Leo Koenig showed himself to be a fighter when he broke away with Jakob Fuglsang in the first third of the climb to the Hochtor. Both were able to maintain their advantage over 100 kilometers to the finish.

“15 kilometers before the finish my legs started to cramp up like crazy. I don’t know how it could have happened. I’ve never experienced cramps like that before. I guess it’s probably due to my lack of training. But I am really pleased that I was still successful in the Queen’s stage and most of all that I could end the race without back pain,“ expains Leo Koenig after the finish.  

“Our tactic came off well today. Since we lost on the General Classification at the Kitzbüheler Horn we wanted to give it our all once again as we aim for a stage win. The plan almost panned out. Unfortunately Leo suffered severe cramps in his legs, which cost him his possible victory,“ Ralph Denk comments on today’s stage.

After the difficult mountain stages, the fifth day will be the longest stage as the route stretches over 228.3 kilometers from St. Johann/Alpendorf to Sonntagberg. The rather hilly terrain is made for breakaway groups and for all riders who are focusing on the stage win. In any case, the last kilometer features an incline of 22% to the Sonntagberg. 

1 stage, 1 July: Innsbruck - Innsbruck
2 stage, 2 July: Innsbruck - Kitzbüheler Horn
3 stage, 3 July: Kitzbühel - Lienz
4 stage, 4 July: Lienz - St. Johann/Alpendorf
5 stage, 5 July: St. Johann/Alpendorf - Sonntagberg
6 stage, 6 July: Waidhofen/Ybbs - Melk
7 stage, 7 July: Podersdorf am Neusiedler See / ITT
8 stage, 8 July: Podersdorf am Neusiedler See - Vienna

Line-Up:
Jan Barta, Cesare Benedetti, Matthias Braendle, Blaz Jarc, Leo Koenig, 
Andreas Schillinger, Daniel Schorn, Marcel Wyss

Website of the race