Lukas Pöstlberger (Tirol) continued the amazing success for the local continental teams when he took a breakthrough win on the penultimate stage of the Tour of Austria. Originally a part of a 21-rider breakaway, he made a solo attack with 8km to go and managed to hold off his chasers to take the win. Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) beat Moreno Moser (Cannondale) in the sprint for second while Victor de la Parte (Vorarlberg) survived a dangerous day and retained the leader’s jersey.

The Tour of Austria is usually the chance for redemption for riders who have missed out on selection for the Tour de France. However, this year the professional riders have had a hard time against the local continental teams who have dominated the last few days.

Victor de la Parte has won the two mountain stages of the race and has a comfortable overall lead. Today it was even a local rider who beat the pros when 23-year-old Lukas Pöstlberger took a surprise win in the flat penultimate stage.

Pöstlberger is known as a good climber and recently won the mountains jersey in the Overösterreichrundfahrt. He has been very aggressive in this race and today he crowned it all with a win on a day that was expected to be for the sprinters.

"I was a bit surprised when I looked back with 100m to go and didn't see anyone," he said. "I am really happy that I managed to win a stage. I have tried so many times and been very active. I was very disappointed when I was caught by the peloton with 1000m to go in the stage to Matrei. Hence, this victory is even better.

“It was an unbelievable stage. We were the only team that had two riders in the group. With eight kilometers to go I went all in, and on the last kilometer I knew that the stage is mine. It’s incredible to celebrate such a victory on home turf.”

His Tirol team manager Thomas Pupp was full of praise for Lukas, national champion of 2012 and winner of this year’s Tour of Ireland:

“I hope this was the ticket for an international career. Lukas is tactically extremely talented and one of the best finishers in Austria. In a few years I can see him in the footsteps of Tom Boonen or Thor Hushovd.”