With a handlebar moustache and the stars and stripes on his chest, US champion Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) earned a determined victory on Tuesday at the Tour de Suisse, which he dedicated to the late Gino Mäder.
The 24-year-old was part of the early breakaway on stage three, attacking alone with 20km to go at the base of a category-two kicker.
Holding a gap of around 40 seconds to the peloton, Simmons ploughed doggedly to the finish in Heiden, where he celebrated by flapping his arms like an eagle, before pointing to the sky.
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“To be honest, I really wanted to win yesterday on the two-year anniversary we lost Gino – I really wanted to win and dedicate that to him, but I do it a day late,” Simmons said post-race.
In 2023, the American was riding behind Mäder on a descent at the Tour de Suisse when the Bahrain Victorious rider crashed and later died. Speaking months later, Simmons said the incident made him re-consider his career.
“It’s really hard for me to be here again, especially seeing his mum at the start,” he said after his victory on Tuesday. “Now, I can pay a bit of tribute, and for sure I had extra motivation today.”
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) finished second, 18 seconds down, with Oscar Onley (Picnic PostNL) a close third. Stage one winner Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) remains the race leader.
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How it happened
After starting the attacks in the finale of stage two, US champion Simmons took up the breakaway on day three of the Tour de Suisse, joining forces with five others on the undulating, near-200km route to Heiden.
With no categorised climbs until the last 20km, the peloton kept the escapees on a tight leash. Simmons and his companions – who also included British rider Max Walker (EF Education-EasyPost) – were rarely afforded more than a two-minute gap.
With 60km to go, Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) crashed in slow motion on a sharp hairpin bend. The Welshman, winner of the race in 2022, remained on the floor for a few minutes clutching his left knee. He then remounted and, after a fleeting visit to the medical car, was paced back into the pack by three team-mates.
With the breakaway’s buffer falling, Simmons tried his luck from range with 20km to go, kicking away on a category-two climb. The American carried 43 seconds over the summit, with Picnic PostNL chasing him from the peloton.
The lumpy run-in to the line brought a litany of short-lived attacks. Among those who tried their luck were Almeida, Grégoire and Joe Blackmore (Israel-Premier Tech), but the only rider to gain a gap behind Simmons was Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), who went inside 8km to go.
An American 1-2, however, would not materialise. Powless was re-absorbed into the bunch, and with no concerted effort to reel him back in, Simmons ran away with the stage win, his third victory of the year.
The American’s eagle celebration, he explained, “was for me – the last time I was in this jersey I never won a bike race and I had a terrible season, and I had a huge motivation to win in the American champion’s jersey.”
He gave the last word to Mäder, gesturing to the sky in tribute as he crossed the line.
ResultsTour de Suisse 2025, stage three: Aarau > Heiden (195.6km)
1. Quinn Simmons (USA) Lidl-Trek, in 4:39:42
2. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +18s
3. Oscar Onley (GBr) Picnic PostNL
4. Romain Grégoire (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
5. Kévin Vauqelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels
6. Jan Christen (Sui) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
7. Fabio Christen (Sui) Q36.5
8. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious
9. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
10. Clément Champoussin (Fra) XDS Astana, all at same time
General classification after stage three
1. Romain Grégoire (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, in 11:26:01
2. Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkea-B&B Hotels, +25s
3. Bart Lemmen (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, +27s
4. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Tudor Pro Cycling, at same time
5. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Jayco AlUla, +1:18
6. Felix Großschartner (Aut) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
7. Lennard Kämna (Ger) Lidl-Trek
8. Pablo Castrillo (Esp) Movistar Team, all at same time
9. Will Barta (USA) Movistar, +1:37
10. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) XDS Astana, at same time