Team Bahrain Victorious closed the Tour de Suisse with Lenny Martinez finishing second on the final stage in Villars-sur-Ollon and claiming the #rideforgino Mountain Prize.
The concluding stage, a demanding 150.7km mountain route starting and finishing in Villars-sur-Ollon, brought the race to a close with repeated ascents of the Col de la Croix. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took the stage victory, with Martinez finishing second after a long day in the breakaway, while Bart Lemmen (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) completed the podium.
For Bahrain Victorious, the result carried significance beyond the stage finish.
Martinez was part of the day’s main breakaway alongside teammate Afonso Eulálio, with the team targeting the #rideforgino Mountain Prize on the highest point of the race. Martinez crossed the summit first to claim the prize, created in memory of former Bahrain Victorious rider Gino Mäder, who tragically passed away following the 2023 Tour de Suisse.
After securing the prize, Martinez continued his pursuit of the stage victory on the final climb to Villars-sur-Ollon. Pogačar eventually caught him inside the final kilometre before riding on to the win, while Martinez held on for second place, giving Bahrain Victorious its strongest result of the week.
Martinez said:
“It was a really tough day. I was in the breakaway from early on and UAE were controlling hard behind, so it was complicated. On the Col de la Croix, where the #rideforgino Mountain Prize was awarded, I really wanted to take it for the team, for Roman, and for everyone. It is something important for us.
After that, I tried to go again on the final climb and fight for the stage, but today Pogačar was super strong. He caught me with one kilometre to go, and at that point I was really empty. I gave everything, so I can be proud of the ride. To finish second on the stage and take the #rideforgino prize makes it a special day for me and for the team.”
Sports Director Roman Kreuziger added:
“Stage 5 was an incredible effort from the whole team. Having Afonso and Lenny in the breakaway was part of the plan, and I think the guys executed it really well. There were still some difficult moments, including a technical issue for Afonso, who had to stop on the climb and then chase back, but both riders did a great job.
For Lenny, the mission was completed with the #rideforgino prize at the top of the climb. For me, that is something really personal, and I think the boys understood the importance of it. They were fighting for it, and it was nice to see.
On the final climb, we knew it would be difficult with the gap we had, but Lenny asked what to do and the message was clear: he had the legs, so there was nothing to wait for. Pogačar was impressive, as always, but Lenny also produced an excellent performance. To finish second after the fight he made is a little bitter, but we should definitely not be disappointed.
We also have to remember where we were a few days ago, when the guys were struggling in the heat. As a team, we improved our cooling strategy, the staff supported the riders in the best way, and I am really happy with how the guys raced today. Lenny was also coming back after a crash while training in Teide last week, so to see him perform like this is a big boost for everyone in the team.”
The final stage marked a strong response from Bahrain Victorious after a difficult start to the race, with the team resetting its objectives and closing the week with a podium finish and a result carrying special meaning at the Tour de Suisse.
Earlier in the day, the Tour of Slovenia also came to an end, with Jakob Omrzel successfully defending his third place overall and securing the white jersey as best young rider after finishing ninth on the final stage into Novo mesto.
The stage was animated from the start and eventually saw overall leader Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) take a solo victory. The German rider and teammate Giulio Pellizzari had already established their advantage in the general classification on Saturday’s queen stage over the Vršič climb, where Omrzel delivered an impressive ride to finish third and secure his place on the final podium.
The Slovenian National Champion completed a memorable home race by finishing third overall and taking the white jersey for the second consecutive year.
Omrzel said:
“The race was tough with the two Bora riders pulling really strong, but I managed to keep my place in the top three of the general classification. I’m very happy with the white jersey as well, and achieving those goals means a lot.”
The race was ultimately decided on the queen stage, while the opening three stages all ended in bunch sprints, with Edoardo Zambanini consistently among the fastest riders, finishing inside the top ten on each occasion. Unfortunately, his race ended on the final day following a crash on a fast descent just a few kilometres from the finish.
Throughout the week, Bahrain Victorious displayed strong teamwork, supporting the sprinters during the opening stages while protecting Omrzel’s ambitions in the general classification.
Sports Director Borut Božič reflected on the race:
“I am satisfied with the way our riders raced this week. Every day they followed the agreed strategy, protected Jakob well and ultimately helped him secure a place on the final podium.
Jakob achieved the goals we set before the race. As expected, the queen stage decided the general classification and the two Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe riders were stronger. We did not expect more than that.
Jakob won the white jersey again, proving for the second year in a row that he is the best young rider in this race.
Unfortunately, Edoardo crashed just a few kilometres before the finish of the final stage and will remain under observation overnight. We wish him a speedy recovery and a safe return home.”
