Fabio Felline got close to his first win for his new Trek team when he finished fourth in the uphill sprint in the queen stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe. Having shown splendid condition and heading into a stage that suits him even better, the Italian may take that first win before the end of the race.

The undulating 196.3-kilometer stage at Circuit Cycliste Sarthe decimated the peloton, and altered the overall classification. The long race ended with five loops of 10.5 kilometers, which included a stiff climb that the riders had to tackle six times, the final time leading up to the finish.  Fabio Felline was in the select front group on the last lap, and climbed strong to a fantastic fourth place finish.

“Fabio [Fellline] was very good today,” explained director Alain Gallopin, content with how the team raced today. “It was a hard race, almost 200 kilometers.  The climb on the circuit was hard; it was two kilometers, then leveled out, and another kilometer to the top.  There were three riders just ahead, and he was with a group at the finish, and out sprinted them for fourth and he has moved into 8th or 9th  in the overall.”

After 20 kilometers a three-rider breakaway sped up the road, but with the difficult terrain ahead, and a Movistar-led peloton keeping the trio on a short leash, all was back together with 40 kilometers to go. 

The climb on the circuit thinned the peloton each lap, and by the final time around, with 10 kilometers remaining, less than 30 riders remained.  With overall race leader Alex Dowsett (Movistar) already a victim of attrition, it was Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp) - third in yesterday’s time trial - winning the uphill battle and slipping into the yellow leader’s jersey. 

“Tomorrow is also hard at the end,” continued Gallopin. “The arrival is on the flat, and we will see what we can do, and what will happen. We will sit down as a team later to analyze the results today and the stage tomorrow.  Fabio has shown he has good form, and Vandewalle is riding strong, too, so we will see. There is still opportunity tomorrow.”