Once again the XDS Astana team shines in the third stage of the Baku-Khankendi Azerbaijan Cycling Race, the Gabala-Mingachevir stage of 162.9 km. The victory was claimed by Gleb Syritsa thanks to a powerful sprint, who was able to make the most of his excellent lead-out train and, in particular, the excellent work of the general classification leader Fedorov, winner of yesterday's stage.

At the finish line, Syritsa preceded the experienced Belgian Timothy Dupont from Tarteletto-Isorex and Romanian Cristian David Pita from Roojai Insurances Winspace. In the top ten there was also room for Marco Manenti, fifth, and Filippo Cettolin, seventh, both from Bardiani CSF 7 Saber.

THE RACE

The first 40 kilometers were covered without incident, and it was Ksawier Garnek (Mazowsze Serce Polski), Juan Pedro Lozano (Terengganu Cycling Team), Eduardo Pérez-Landaluce (Óbidos Cycling Team), Maral-Erdene Batmunkh (Roojai Insurance Winspace), Owen Musset (EuroCyclingTrips - CCN) and Mustafa Tekin (Spor Toto Cycling Team) who launched the first breakaway of the day. However, the peloton did not give the six riders much room and, after passing the flying finish in Oğuz (1st Musset) and the climb in Şәki (1st Tekin), neutralized their attempt 70 kilometers from the finish.

However, calm did not last long because, ten kilometers later, Muradjan Khalmuratov (Uzbekistan), Nícolas Sessler (Victoria Sports Pro Cycling), Brayan Sánchez (Team Medellín - EPM) and Tegsh-Bayar Batsaikhan (Roojai Insurance Winspace) attacked: the four riders, very determined in their action, managed to gain up to 1'30" advantage over the group and subsequently approached the final 10 km with still 65 seconds of margin which, however, due to the intense work behind them by Tartelletto-Isorex, proved insufficient to make it to the finish.

The attackers were indeed caught 2 kilometers from the line and in this way, for the second time in three days, a sprint decided the stage winner, which, as in the opening stage, favored Syritsa.

STAGE RESULTS

1. Gleb Syritsa (XDS Astana Team) 3:26:43

2. Timothy Dupont (Tarteletto - Isorex) s.t.

3. Cristian David Pita (Roojai Insurance Winspace) s.t.

4. Muhammad Hafizh (ASC Monsters Indonesia) s.t.

5. Marco Manenti (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) s.t.

6. Eric Antonio Fagúndez (Burgos Burpellet BH) s.t.

7. Filippo Cettolin (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) s.t.

8. Hubert Grygowski (Mazowsze Serce Polski) s.t.

9. Alvaro Navas (Óbidos Cycling Team) s.t.

10. Tom Wijfje (Universe Cycling Team) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Yevgeniy Fedorov (XDS Astana Team) 11:38:13

2. Alexandre Balmer (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali) +0:04

3. Henok Mulubrhan (XDS Astana Team) +0:14

4. Eric Antonio Fagúndez (Burgos Burpellet BH) +0:15

5. Aaron Gate (XDS Astana Team) +0:16

6. Hugo Aznar (Equipo Kern Pharma) +0:18

7. Luca Covili (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) +0:19

8. Josh Burnett (Burgos Burpellet BH) +0:19

9. Santiago Umba (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali) +0:19

10. Urko Berrade (Equipo Kern Pharma) +0:19