Tour de Suisse: Kim Le Court-Pienaar secures fourth overall

Tour de Suisse: Kim Le Court-Pienaar secures fourth overall

Second top five of the season for the Mauritian Champion, who gained three places after a hard day of racing.

The Tour de Suisse reached its final day, one which unfolded under scorching heat and gave absolutely no room to hide. Containing three classified climbs and an elevation gain of 3000 meters, the 100km stage starting and finishing in Villars-sur-Ollon shaped the general classification, where the fight for the top ten was still wide open following Saturday’s individual time trial.

The action began right from the start, as several riders - including Kim Le Court-Pienaar - tried to get clear. The peloton responded, but the stage turned out to be impossible to control, and as a result, the bunch exploded into small groups on the mythical Col de la Croix, the longest climb of the day. Kim showed her strength and racing instinct as she booked a place in a strong chasing group, which trailed the leaders by one minute as they crested the top.

On the demanding slopes of Villars-sur-Ollon, AG Insurance - Soulda’s leader attacked to create a gap and reduce the distance separating her from the front trio. Showing incredible determination and a never-say-die attitude, Kim mounted a fantastic recovery race and came close to the stage podium at the top, after three intense hours of racing. It was an effort that helped the 30-year-old Kim make an important leap in the general classification, where she finished fourth.

Having been a prominent figure at the race from day one, Kim could look back with pride on her debut Tour de Suisse: “It was a hard day. When the attacks came on the long climb, I decided to focus on myself and keep a good tempo in the group behind. In the downhill I didn’t take any risks, because I didn’t want to put any pressure on my wrist, and then, on the final ascent, I continued to ride at my own pace and not focus on anybody else. It’s been a demanding week of racing but I did my best and I am happy to have made my return to competition after a long break with such a strong result.”