Once more, German rider Georg Zimmermann showed himself in the Etoile de Bessèges (2.1, 2-6/02), this time in the breakaway in the queen stage this Saturday between Saint-Hilaire-de-Brethmas and the Mont Bouquet climb. He joined an eight rider breakaway which gained a maximal advantage of 3 minutes after the first race hour.
The GC leaders didn’t give the escapees a lot of freedom and it was with a one minute gap that they started the final 30 kilometer. But under the impetus of the rider from Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux the breakaway managed to stay ahead until the start of the final climb (4.6km at 9%).
This Sunday, the stage race will be concluded by an individual time trial of 11 kilometer between Alès and the Montée de l’Hermitage.
« The beginning of the stage was promising as my goal was to join a good breakaway and that was what happened. But unfortunately the peloton didn’t give us a lot of freedom, so our ambition for the stage victory was undermined. But I’m convinced that these efforts are beneficial for the upcoming weeks. »
