XDS Astana's Simone Velasco finishes 3rd at Coppi e Bartali stage 3
Today marked the third stage of the Italian stage race Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. In difficult weather conditions, the riders covered 142 km, featuring a series of short but steep climbs. XDS Astana Team's Simone Velasco took third place, finishing in the chasing group behind Australian rider Jay Vine, who attacked on the final climb of the day, Kazinform News Agency cites the Team's press service.
As a result of Stage Three, Velasco moved up to third place in the overall classification.
“It was a very tough day due to bad weather. We raced under the rain the entire stage, and it was extremely cold. The final part of the race was quite tense, and I had to stay at the front the whole time. Our leader, Diego Ulissi, lost some ground today, but I managed to finish third. There are still two tough stages ahead, so we will see what we can do. I would love to fight for a stage win, and we will also try to improve our position in the General Classification”, said Simone Velasco.
As earlier reported, XDS Astana Team revealed race roster for Classic Brugge-De Panne 2025.