Lewis Askey’s first win in NSN colors feels like it is getting closer. Having taken third place on a stage of Paris – Nice and then again at last month’s Tro-Bro Léon, on Friday the British rider claimed second after a hard and aggressive day of racing at the Baloise Belgium Tour.
Following a stage in which both stage one winner Biniam Girmay and Riley Sheehan reiterated their current good form, Askey appeared to have timed his sprint on the 600-meter, 9.2% climb to the finish line in the Wallonian city of Durbuy to perfection.
Unfortunately for the British rider, Alex Aranburu (COF) – who won this respective stage in the race two years ago – narrowly pipped him to the line.
“I felt strong in the final and I think the win was possible but, without boring everyone with excuses, I’m just going to have to come back in the future to win this stage,” he says.
“We knew we probably had the team with the most depth for this race today, so we were all excited going into the stage.
“I’m not particularly great in the heat, so the staff did a great job of keeping us cool with ice socks and cold water all day. It was a hard last two laps – there was little control, and the rain came in just to make it a little more stressful.
“A move went on the final lap, but Matîs [Louvel] has been flying this week, so he managed to keep it under control.
“The race was back together in the final 10km. Then there were more attacks, and we had Bini in the front group for a bit, which allowed me to sit back and save the legs a little for the final.
“Coming into the final climb, it was all to play for. I didn’t do the best job of positioning myself, but fortunately, my legs made up for it.”
Askey was one of the day’s biggest movers on GC, rising 46 places to second overall, just four seconds behind Aranburu with two stages remaining.