Jhonatan Narváez picks up thrilling Deutschland Tour stage victory

Jhonatan Narváez won stage 2 of the Lidl Deutschland Tour in thrilling fashion for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with the Ecuadorian national champion coming out on top from a three-up sprint to take his first victory since the National Championships in February. Roaring across the line in Arnsberg, Narváez was rewarded for fighting all the way to the finish.

With Narváez joined in a late breakaway by Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) and Riley Sheehan (Israel-Premier Tech), it looked as though the American Sheehan would take the day’s honours, but the youngster celebrated just a moment too early, and the wily Ecuadorian saw his opportunity to pounce.

As Sheehan despaired, Narváez punched the air with delight. Coming into the Lidl Deutschland Tour fresh off the back of a block of training in his homeland, the Tour Down Under winner has made the perfect return to racing after helping Tadej Pogačar win the Tour de France in July.

Speaking to reporters after the finish line, the 28-year-old was in a buoyant mood and reflected on a fun afternoon in the saddle.

Narváez: “I think it was a crazy final. We got the right momentum in the end, we ride hard. If you see the guy from Uno-X, he is 1.95m [tall] I think. Imagine how he can ride in the flat! So I think it was a nice race.

“Our plan was to do the race hard because this race, you will see it is for the sprinters and we didn’t really bring a sprinter here. So we have to think differently and we made sure it was not like this. It was a good final in the end, I think we got some good momentum with the other guys.

“I think I recovered well after the Tour de France, I have been training at home, I have been quiet with my family. Then I came straight here, it is always nice to win. Let’s see how the situation is now!”

UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s 73rd victory of the season did not come easily to Narváez, who was determined to race on the front foot all afternoon.

Earlier in the day, a five-man breakaway had gone up in the road but in truth, all eyes were on the sprinters’ teams, who fancied another crack at the whip in Germany. In turn, Jonas Rutsch (Intermarché-Wanty) was the last attacker to be caught and with 18km to the line on stage 2, the likes of Visma-Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek manned their battle stations for an expected bunch sprint.

However, Narváez was one of a host of riders who were determined that this would not happen. The Ecuadorian had seen his teammate Brandon McNulty crash earlier in the day, and although the American would go on to finish the stage, the Emirati squad was keen to leave a positive impression on Friday’s stage.

Inside the last 10km, numerous attacks flew off the front of the peloton, with the opportunists looking to take advantage of a difficult local circuit that brought proceedings to a close in Arnsberg.

Narváez was ever-present at the head of the race, and with 8km to go, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG puncheur followed a powerful attack from Uno-X Mobility’s Wærenskjold. Sheehan of Israel-Premier Tech latched onto the move and soon, the trio were alone off the front of the peloton.

Sensing that this was the move to make stick, the three riders shared the workload and in the most unlikely of circumstances, successfully held off the pursuit of the peloton. As the riders entered the final 500m of racing, all that was left was to decide the stage honours.

Wærenskjold led out his companions, much to his chagrin, and Sheehan became the first to open up his sprint. With a powerful initial burst, the American looked to have the win in the bag, but the youngster inexplicably decided to celebrate before the line, whilst Narváez refused to be beaten.

Passing Sheehan with only inches left of the stage, Narváez could celebrate a cunning victory built on aggression, smart racecraft and simply, dogged determination. The Ecuadorian sits only a second off the race lead, which is now held by Wærenskjold.

Lidl Deutschland Tour stage 2 results

1. Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 4:27:10

2. Riley Sheehan (Israel-Premier Tech) s.t

3. Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) s.t

Lidl Deutschland Tour general classification after stage 2

1. Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) 9:07:45

2. Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +1″

3. Riley Sheehan (Israel-Premier Tech) +4″

Meanwhile, over at the Renewi Tour, Tim Wellens produced a blockbuster display for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, taking third place on the Queen stage of the race that featured multiple ascents of the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen.

The Belgian now sits third overall heading into the final two stages, missing out on the stage 3 victory only to a resurgent Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), with Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) giving the former world champion a run for his money in second place across the line.

Alongside Wellens, the three riders proved the strongest on the most difficult stage of the race, but earlier in the day, Igor Arrieta had ridden himself into a great tactical position for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

The Spanish rider went up the road in an 11-man breakaway and proved strong enough to remain at the head of the race when the best riders from the peloton went on the attack over the tough climbs of Flanders. With the likes of the Bosberg and the Muur on the route, there was ample opportunity for the general classification contenders to butt heads behind.

So it proved, with Van der Poel going on the attack alongside Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) as the race hit the first cobbled hills. In the peloton behind, Wellens’ teammates António Morgado and Rui Oliveira worked alongside Lotto and Soudal Quick-Step to keep the deficit to a minimum, and on the first ascent of the Muur, Wellens bridged across to Van der Poel, with the pair moving up to the head of the race.

Seeing his teammate Wellens in what was now the lead group, Arrieta buried himself to extend the group’s advantage over the peloton behind. Thanks to Arrieta’s work, the pace was kept high until the final ascent of the Muur, at which point Wellens, Van der Poel and De Lie went clear of their rivals and formed an elite three-man group.

In a similar fashion to what unfolded at the Lidl Deutschland Tour, the three riders worked in unison to extend their advantage, and it was not until the final kick to the line in Geraardsbergen that the group disintegrated. At this point, each rider was on the limit and with Van der Poel chasing his first victory since leaving the Tour de France with pneumonia, the Dutchman produced a fierce turn of pace with the line in sight.

Wellens was forced to settle for third, ceding some 12 seconds to Van der Poel and De Lie over the line, but the Belgian national champion could be content with a terrific display that sees him move up to third place in the general classification. Two stages remain to decide the winner of this year’s race.

Renewi Tour stage 3 results

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 3:50:53

2. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) s.t

3. Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +12″

Renewi Tour general classification after stage 3

1. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) 11:05:47

2. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +1″

3. Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +21″