Southland’s Corbin Strong Leads Tour de Wallonie After Stage Two Win

• Southland’s Corbin Strong wins stage two of the Tour de Wallonie in style.
• Strong’s Israel – Premier Tech teammates played a crucial role in securing victory.
• Team’s stellar performance keeps Strong in the lead after a challenging stage.

Corbin Strong of Southland sprinted to a thrilling win in stage two of the Tour de Wallonie on Tuesday, propelling himself into the race lead. The Kiwi rider, backed by his exceptional Israel – Premier Tech teammates, showcased an impeccable performance.

Strong excelled in the challenging uphill finish into Ouffet, thanks to a perfect lead-out by Simon Clarke. However, the race was not just about the final 500 meters. Newly-crowned Israeli road race champion Oded Kogut, Michael Schwarzmann, and Riley Pickrell expertly controlled the day’s breakaway. Strong and Clarke then strategically split the peloton on the category two Côte de Géromont with 12 kilometers to go.

Though their eight-rider group was short-lived, Israel – Premier Tech was determined to secure its 21st victory of an unforgettable 2024 season. Home rider Dylan Teuns, the 2017 champion, and Nick Schultz set a fierce pace, preventing any speculative attacks. With a kilometer left, Schultz’s task was complete, and Teuns, followed by Clarke, ensured Strong had the best approach to the finish line.

“I’ve been thinking about this week here for a couple of months now,” said Strong. “Training went really well, I’m really happy with how the form is, and it’s nice to come here and get the win.

“I think if you watched the stage today, it was such a privilege to be a part of this team today. They were all behind me – I even thought to myself in the last three kilometers, with the work my teammates did today, that I better pull this one off! They all rode really strongly – Schultzie, Clarkey, Dylan in the final kilometers, they all did a dream lead-out. I always think that on a finish like this, if I’m not coming from too far back, they suit me really well. I had a lot of confidence in myself today.”