Cycling: He showed his top form yesterday, but the stage profile was not demanding enough. Today, Javier Romo showed his class on the way to Uraidla and took the day's victory. This means the Spaniard also takes the lead in the overall standings.
Javier Romo is stronger than ever
It was already visible yesterday, today he confirmed it. Javier Romo (Movistar) is in brilliant form. The Spaniard won today's third stage of the Tour Down Under as a soloist with a lead of five seconds over the first chasing group. This was led by Jonathan Narvaez (UAE) before Finn Fisher Black (RB – Bora – hansgrohe) and Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl – Trek). In the overall ranking, the day’s winner is now eight seconds ahead of second-place finisher Jhonatan Narvaez.
Romo was unstoppable
Geoffrey Bouchard (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) was the last breakaway rider to be caught by the main field. The Frenchman fought back bravely, but on the 147,5-kilometer stage from Norwood to Uraidla he too was ultimately left without a chance. When the pros tackled Knotts Hill, there were further attacks a few kilometers before the finish. The 2,7-kilometer climb has an average gradient of 7,7 percent and therefore offers the best opportunities for all punchers in the field. Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers) and Remy Rochas (Groupama – FDJ) on the offensive, later also Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain – Victorious). But the local team Jayco – AlUla did not want to let any rider go, but at the same time ensured that the field was thinned out immensely. So – to many people’s surprise – last year’s winner Stephen Williams (Israel – Premier Tech). However, when Javier Romo (Movistar) took over, it was no longer possible to react.
Tomorrow: What damage does Nettle Hill cause?
There will be no sprint tomorrow at the Tour Down Under either. On the 157,2-kilometer stage from Glenelg to Victor Harbor, the penultimate hill will be the decisive one. Nettle Hill is only 1,8 kilometers long, but has an average gradient of 8,4 percent. It is therefore likely that the classic sprinters could have problems here too. The decision at the Tour Down Under will not be made until the weekend.
Javier Romo wins the third stage of #TourDownUnder with a perfectly timed attack and takes his first ever pro win!https://t.co/iAXjs7ch7h pic.twitter.com/7zPVPIkLhy
— Eemeli (@LosBrolin) January 23, 2025