Tour of Slovakia: Lennert Van Eetvelt fends off rising star Henrique Bravo to clinch overall title with victory on final stage summit finish

With the GC gaps very slim and the gradients sharp, and with bonus seconds on the line, it was wide open, but Van Eetvelt held firm as the lead group whittled down to just a few, and he kicked clear in sight of the line.

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The Belgian was tested in particular by the rising star Henrique Bravo, the 20-year-old Brazilian producing an excellent display while representing the Soudal-QuickStep WorldTour squad on loan from their development team. Bravo, who was third at the Giro Next Gen and fifth at the Tour de l’Avenir this season, was unfazed by this step into the pro ranks and launched a series of attacks on the final climb.

He couldn’t shake the more experienced Van Eetvelt, though, and had to watch as his rival clipped away in the dying metres.

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Still, Bravo, who places second on the stage at five seconds down, rose nine places to finish the race in second position overall.

Third place on the day, at 14 seconds down, went to Jaime Meehan, the 23-year-old Irishman riding for Cofidis who has produced a number of eye-catching climbing performances this season. However, he couldn’t quite haul himself onto the final podium, as the Frenchman Maxime Decomble (Groupama-FDJ United) finished just behind, on the same time.

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Decomble had started the day five seconds ahead of Meehan, who took four bonus seconds for third place but was still left one second short of the podium.

Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain Victorious Development) was with the group most of the way up the final climb but faded towards the top and finished fifth at 22 seconds, while Rémi Daumas (Groupama-FDJ United) placed sixth as the only other rider within a minute of the winner.

Van Eetvelt therefore adds a third professional-level GC victory to his palmarès, with a final winning margin of 19 seconds over Bravo, and 29 seconds over Decomble.