The U23 world champion lived up to his status as the favorite during the time trial up the Col de la Pierre Carrée. He has put himself in a strong position for the overall victory ahead of the Iseran stage and… Italy.
As expected, the eleven-kilometer timed climb up the Col de la Pierre Carrée—running from Les Carroz to the heights of Flaine (Haute-Savoie)—proved sufficient to establish the pecking order. With a steady gradient of around 8%, the climb clarified a hierarchy that had already begun to take shape after the first stage. And just as anticipated, Italian rider Lorenzo Finn—the U23 world champion—delivered a performance placing him at the pinnacle of his category, much like last year’s winner, Paul Seixas. The Red Bull-Bora Rookies rider not only claimed the yellow jersey—taking it from Niels Driesen, who nonetheless put up a strong fight (finishing 3rd on the stage) and remains second overall—but also set himself apart. He was the only rider to complete the climb in under a minute (58 seconds), while Norwegian rider Haugland held onto third place; indeed, the top three attackers from the opening day continue to dominate the leaderboard. Lorenzo Finn opened up gaps that, while perhaps not yet decisive given the challenges awaiting the riders in the final 48 hours of the race, are certainly highly significant. They clearly reflect his superiority.
Among the day’s other standout performances, Frenchman Ugo Fabries (UAE Next Gen) clocked the second-fastest time on the climb—a particularly promising result—while Brazilian rider Henrique Ribeiro Bravo (Soudal Quick-Step, 5th) confirmed the climbing ability he had previously displayed in major stage races. This is precisely where the climbers enter their element, with the queen stage featuring the Cormet de Roselend followed by the interminable Col de l’Iseran—the summit of which hosts the finish of Stage 6 at an altitude of 2,770 meters. Lorenzo Finn is eager to cross into Italy for the final stage, ideally wearing the Yellow Jersey—a prospect already fueling the dreams of fans in his home country, who are longing for a new champion. That would make him the first Italian to win the Tour de l’Avenir since Gian-Battista Baronchelli. That was… 53 years ago (1973)…
