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Retaliation TDU25-38
It was a rather clever (and a bit mean spirited) move by the drop quartet when they caught back up to those who attacked them on the climb of Wickham Hill. Lead by Michael Hepburn (Jayco-Alula), Oliver Bleddyn (ARA Australian Cycling), Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal-Quick Step), and Ben Swift (Ineos-Grenadiers), caught the two leaders at full speed. Rather than warning the others of their approach, they chose instead to sprint pass them giving the first attackers no chance of catching their wheels. The plan worked to perfection. Neither Torres nor Lopez were never able to rejoin their erstwhile companions, and eventually sat up to wait for the peloton. Once those two were gone, the peloton dropped the hard chase giving these four up to a four minute advantage.