The Soudal Quick-Step boys were prominent during Saturday’s stage.
Martin Svrcek was the highest-ranked Soudal Quick-Step rider on the queen stage of the season’s last World Tour race, which concluded atop Nongla Scenic Spot, a demanding 3.3km climb featuring a steep final kilometer that made for some significant gaps in the general classification. It was a good effort from the young Slovak, who continues to be the best placed member of our team with just one day to go.
Until three kilometers to go, the day belonged to a four-man breakaway featuring Soudal Quick-Step’s Warre Vangheluwe. The quartet got away moments after the start, and the stage two winner took some impressive pulls there, helping a group carve out a nice advantage which allowed them to stay clear until three kilometers to go, when a depleted peloton made the catch just as the road was beginning to rise.
The attacks came thick and fast, whittling down the group to just a handful of riders, from where Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Dstny) attacked on the steepest part of the ascent and soloed to a victory that moved him into the overall lead of the Tour of Guangxi.
There were no changes at the head of the KOM classification, which means Pepijn Reinderink remains in the polka dot jersey going into the final stage of the race, starting and finishing in Nanning, where the peloton will tackle five times a local circuit featuring a short but steep climb.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
Martin Svrček 
Warre Vangheluwe 
