Solid performance by VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè in the third stage of the Tour Alsace, which finished on the iconic climb of La Planche des Belles Filles. In a stage made even more selective by a demanding route and a long race interruption, Luca Covili and Alex Tolio finished in the group of top contenders.

Covili took 7th place on the stage, moving up to 10th overall in the general classification, 42 seconds behind the new leader, Beloki. A strong ride also by Alex Tolio, who finished 11th at the head of the first chasing group.

These were Covili’s words after the stage:
“The race started off at a fast pace. The last two climbs were the hardest. We restarted just before the penultimate climb: three and a half kilometers at 10%, pretty tough. After the descent we kept pushing, and then the final climb up La Planche des Belles Filles began. We kept a good rhythm there, then with one kilometer to go it flattened out a bit, the pace slowed, and a few more riders managed to catch back on. The final ramp was 500 meters at 20%. I finished seventh, Alex eleventh. Now our focus is on Sunday: it’s an important and tough stage, but I’m confident — I can only get better.”