Hirschi podiums in Switzerland, Adam Yates second on Col de la Croix de Fer

GENEVA, 11th June, 2023 (WAM) — UAE Team Emirates closed out the days racing with an impressive result for Marc Hirschi, taking 2nd place on home turf at the GP des Kantons Aargau.

UAE Team Emirates dictated the pace of the front group for much of the day, with Finn Fisher Black spending time off the front of the peloton forcing the Trek Segafredo team of eventual winner Thibau Nys to put in a strong chase.

Hirschi waited until the final kick to make his move from a reduced group sprinting for the win but just came up short behind Nys.

Hirschi said, “I’m really happy with the shape even though the win didn’t come. The team did a great job but there were too many fast riders left in the group at the end. It was a good opener for the Tour de Suisse. We have some reinforcements coming in the shape of Ayuso and Vine and I think the team is ready.”

Meanwhile, Adam Yates put in a fierce performance on stage 7 of the Criterium du Dauphiné, 147,9 km from Port de Savoie to the summit arrival of the Col de la Croix de Fer.

The British rider from UAE Team Emirates was 2nd on the finish line, only Jonas Vingegaard (Lotto-Jumbo) could precede him: at 5 km to go, the Danish leader of the general classification went away on a solo attack from the select group of top climbers. No one could reply to his move, only Yates could set a pace that allowed him to limit the gap from Vingegaard to 41” at the arrival.

Thanks to today’s performance, the UAE Team Emirates rider climbed up to the 2nd place of the general classification, at 2’11” from the leader and with 13” on the third place of Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroen).

Tomorrow’s last stage, (Le Pont de Claix-La Bastille Grenoble) will be full of climbs: two 2nd category, one HC and two 1st category (included the summit arrival).

Yates commented, “When Vingegaard attacked, I tried to chase at my own pace, looking to see if there were more guys, but nobody else was there. I did the best I could, the team rode well too, so I can’t complain.”