Mauro Schmid became the third consecutive Team Jayco AlUla rider to wear the race leader’s yellow jersey at Okolo Slovenska, after moving to the top of the GC standings following stage four.
The five-day Slovakian race has been a happy hunting ground for the Australian squad, which has led the race from the very beginning. Schmid took over the lead from his teammate, and stage two winner, Anders Foldager, who had in turn taken the jersey from Max Walscheid.
Stage four of Okolo Slovenska was marked by a four-man breakaway, which would hold on by just 17 seconds to contest the stage win.
In the group of GC favourites, Team Jayco AlUla was present in big numbers as the race hit the final key climbs. When stage three winner Julian Alaphilippe attacked on the last classified ascent, Schmid looked strong as he followed in his wheel.
The Swiss road race champion then dropped the Frenchman on the final rise to the finish line and gained five seconds on him, enough to jump ahead of him in the overall classification.
With one key mountain stage to come, Schmid has a two-second lead over Alaphilippe. Foldager still holds onto a place on the podium while Felix Engelhardt and Callum Scotson remain in the top-10 overall.
Mauro Schmid:
“We had a really good team today everybody did a really good job. The break was quite strong and we gambled a little bit and let Soudal Quick-Step close the gap in the end. Then we still had a lot of guys in the final so we could play our cards a little bit. On the last climb, I could follow Julian and I felt quite ok. I just sat on and then I knew I was still three seconds behind in the overall so on the kick to the finish I had to create a gap. I’m happy that I was able to take the five seconds out of him. The situation is quite good for tomorrow. It will for sure be a hard day but normally it is not that steep the climb, so I think we should have it under control tomorrow.”
2024 Okolo Slovenska GC after stage 4:
1. Mauro Schmid (Team Jayco AlUla) 13:11:55
2. Julian Alaphilippe +02
3. Anders Foldager (Team Jayco AlUla) +22
Photo: Sprint Cycling
