The Belgian Remco Evenepoel, from the Soudal-QuickStep team, won this Saturday solo in the seventh and penultimate stage of the Tour of Switzerland, and he did so by paying tribute to the late Gino Mäder by crossing the finish line in Weinfelden after an effort of 17 kilometers of a day of 183.5 starting in Tübach.
The race resumed this Saturday after the death of Gino Mäder, who suffered a fatal fall during the fifth day, was neutralized on Friday as a sign of mourning. His team, Bahrain Victorious, deeply affected by the tragic loss of their rider, decided to withdraw from the race before the penultimate stage.
Evenepoel broke away just after the top of the last climb of the day, when the overall times had already been taken with 25km to go to allow the riders to contest the final however they wanted, just one day after Mäder's death .
The Belgian left with a group that had been formed on the climb up Ottenberg thanks to the marking of Jumbo-Visma and Ineos Grenadiers. The group amassed a 30-second lead downhill en route to the finish.
Evenepoel claimed victory, the 44th of his career, beating his compatriot Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) in the final effort. Frenchman Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) finished third.
The Danish Mattias Skjelmose (Trek-Segarfedo) continues as the overall leader and, with the closing stage remaining, leads the Austrian Felix Gall (AG2R) by 8 seconds and the third, Spanish Juan Ayuso (UAE Emirates) by 18 seconds. . The race ends this Sunday with a 25.7-kilometre individual time trial starting in St. Gallen and finishing in Abtwil.
