Leopold König took a big breakthrough win in the mountains when he soloed to win atop the Mount Diablo in the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia. Remembering an advertisement message, the young Czech just stopped thinking and went for it when he put down the hammer inside the final kilometer to drop his companion Janier Acevedo (Jamis).

Much has been expected from Leopold König for many years and many hoped to see him get a big breakthrough in last year's Giro d'Italia when his NetApp team received a surprise invitation. However, the young Czech had to forfeit his participation due to injury but he bounced back with a win in the queen stage in the Tour of Britain later in the year.

After a slow start to the 2013 season, the Czech had gradually built form for the Tour of California and he arrived in the USA with huge ambitions. He struggled in the extreme heat in the first summit finish but showed his condition in Friday's time trial where he was the second-fastest on the final climb up to the finish.

Yesterday, he showed just how strong he is when he caught the big favourite to take the stage win, stage 2 winner Janier Acevedo (Jamis). Having collaborated with his companion for a few kilometres, he finally dropped the Colombian inside the final kilometre and soloed off to a huge win on the top of the Mount Diablo.

Unsurprisingly, the Czech was overjoyed with his win which was as much a mental exercise as it was a physical one.

“I felt so strong today and only had the picture in my head crossing the finish line first," he said. "With this goal in mind I attacked and went step by step, faster and faster. Fighting my way up I remembered an advertisement I just saw here which stated: the only limit that exists is the one in your head. I stopped thinking and just went for the victory.”

König had been protected the entire day by his NetApp-Endura team and sports director Alex Sans Vega was glad to see strong teamwork lay the foundations for the team's second win of the season.

“This was an extraordinary performance of the whole team today," he said." As unhappy I was a couple days ago, the more happy I am now. If we put on a teamwork just like today we can ride with the big teams and even win. All guys implemented our strategy from this morning one-to-one. We completely focused on the stage win and concentrated everyone’s effort on this goal. We are very happy about the victory”, says Alex Sans Vega.

Despite the big win König is only 11th in the GC as his time loss in stage 2 and in the crosswinds on stage 5 made him unable to enter the top 10. The race finishes today with a flat stage to Santa Rosa and so it is unlikely that the Czech will be able to move any further up.