Refresh
The winner’s shot
Let’s hear from the winner
“Danny introduced me up with velocity, then he was type of prepared for me to leap, however I waited a second, and I did not know if I would let my velocity drop an excessive amount of, and I used to be nervous I would not get on prime of the velocity once more.
“Danny did not ship me; he launched me. It was right down to the boys at present.”
As for successful a Grand Tour stage once more after two years
“It is good. I knew I would do it once more, it was only a matter of getting the best legs. What I am actually joyful about is constant my sample of successful not less than one stage in each Grand Tour I’ve completed since 2018.”
Outcomes
Sadly, Gerben Thijssen was concerned in a crash within the closing 500 meters & couldn’t defend his possibilities within the dash 😣#LaVuelta22 pic.twitter.com/WVbc0N1SfGAugust 20, 2022
Pedersen takes second, Merlier third.
Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) wins stage 2 of the Vuelta a España
Wow. Sam Bennett rescues his season!!
Bennett wins it!!
Bennett hits out, Merlier is behind him, Pedersen alongside
And now Bora!±
And listed below are Trek!
However UAE reassert themselves and now Arkea look to get entangled.
1km to go
Flamme rouge! Right here we go! DSM take over from UAE
Van Baarle peels off. 1.5km to go and UAE take it up. DSM up there too.
BikeExchange have gotten themselves collectively now.
Ineos have Van Baarle and Turner on the entrance once more, and now Carapaz is up with them. 2km to go!!
Alaphilippe is true up there for Evenepoel
The Alpecin rider takes it up as Merlier slips down the pack. UAE have moved Ackermann up.
3km to go
There’s the protection internet of the 3km to go banner. GC instances are neutralised now within the occasion of a crash.
Via one other chicane and now a 90-degree bend. Ineos have the nostril with two riders forward of Merlier and his lead-out man.
4km to go
Merlier has a person with him now and he is in an important place behind an Ineos duo as issues get technical.
And simply as I query Alpecin, Merlier seems in third wheel
Large chicane and Ineos take command via it.
Israel try to transfer up on the best. BikeExchange have a pair within the center, and Bora look a bit misplaced. Alpecin are nowhere to be seen.
One other sweeping bend and now it will get messy
Ineos barge their method up via the center now.
It is a sweeping right-hand bend and there is no actual change on exit.
Roundabout developing.
7.5km to go
7.5km to go and we’re on a protracted straight in the mean time, with no change to formation. QuickStep – Movistar – Bahrain from a hen’s-eye view.
A reminder of our overview of the contenders at present
Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is the favorite, the Belgian champion, successful 13 races prior to now 18 months. A win right here would make him a part of the climb of stage winners in all three Grand Excursions.
Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) is essentially the most embellished on paper however is all out of kinds this 12 months in his first season again with the German crew. He seems devoid of type and confidence.
Pascal Ackermann (UAE Staff Emirates) can be a shadow of the rider he was just a few years in the past but additionally boasts wins within the Giro and Vuelta and has a latest one on the Tour de Pologne.
Outsiders embrace: Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco), Dan McLay (Arkea-Samsic), Jake Steward (Groupama-FDJ), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), Itamar Einhorn (Israel-Premier Tech), Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma).
Bahrain are nonetheless on the best. Landa tried to counsel he wasn’t right here for GC. They have a humorous method of exhibiting it right here.
It is pretty calm in the mean time however the run-in will get frantic. There are roundabouts, street furnishings, and some 90-degree bends within the closing 4km.
Right here was the outcome on the intermediate dash
1. Pedersen, 20 pts
2. Mullen, 17 pts
3. Hayter, 15 pts
4. Hoole, 13 pts
5. Ackermann, 10 pts
QuickStep arrange store on the left. Movistar are within the center, and Bahrain on the best. BikeEschange even have some presence and now UAE are transferring up.
A little bit of muscle reminiscence perhaps as QuickStep have not introduced a sprinter right here, however they do have GC contender Remco Evenepoel to guard.
15km to go
It is now time for the dash run-in and QuickStep-AlphaVinyl hit the entrance en masse.
It is a large drag strip on the Soesterberg airstrip, and Mads Pedersen breezes via to take most factors.
Right here come Bora, and Trek as properly, all on the lookout for factors.
The race goes on and Jumbo proceed to guide as we strategy the day’s intermediate dash.
Kamil Malecki is up on his toes however Steff Crass is just not, and that appears prefer it might be Vuelta over.
Crash. One other one. Wout Poels is down together with two from Lotto
20km to go
Jumbo-Visma take management of the peloton with 5 males in a line.
Muhlberger’s jersey is ripped and shoulder dusted however he is again within the bunch now.
By my tough calculation, Maté lasted 24km out entrance, in order that’s 24 timber to be planted.
21km to go
Maté is caught. All collectively once more.
23km to go and Maté is being reeled in.
Crash. A Movistar bike is on the bottom, however no signal of rider. It belongs to Grego Muhlberger.
This feels a bit just like the Tour – a gap time trial then a flat opening stage that is largely boring from a sporting perspective however has been enlivened by the general public.
15 seconds for Maté and he is going via a sea of followers. Once more. The Dutch followers have packed the streets on so many components of this course. Incredible effort.
We’re into the ultimate 30 now and we have had a change in proceedings. It is now not an Alpecin consultant on the nostril of the peloton, however loads of groups getting organised as we put together for the run-in.
We have had loads of roads flanked by bike paths right here within the Netherlands, and which means loads of amateurs heading out to check how lengthy they will hold tempo with the professionals. There’s actually not been an excessive amount of motion past that at present.
You have in all probability heard that Dan Bigham broke the Hour Document yesterday. Have you ever seen his bike? We have the main points.
Dan Bigham makes use of prototype Pinarello bike for Hour Document experience
38km to go
Maté has 30 seconds in hand.
Jumbo-Visma are gathered behind what’s now a lone Alpecin rider on the head of the bunch.
A small mishap for Mark Donovan (DSM) in the back of the bunch.
This is extra on Maté and his efforts
Maté racing to plant ‘a Vuelta forest’ on the Vuelta a España
It is Luis Angel Maté and that is excellent news for the atmosphere because the Spaniard is planting a tree for each kilometre he spends within the breakaway at this Vuelta.
Assault!! Right here we go, Euskaltel gentle it again up
Response from Evenepoel after yesterday’s TTT begin, together with stuff on that ridiculous sock TT helmet.
50km to go
Into the ultimate 50 and we’re heading alongside as one peloton in the direction of the end. No contemporary breakaway however we might see some last-gasp makes an attempt to upset the sprinters on what is a reasonably technical run-in.
Let’s discuss concerning the sprinting line-up
Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is the favorite, the Belgian champion, successful 13 races prior to now 18 months. A win right here would make him a part of the climb of stage winners in all three Grand Excursions.
Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) is essentially the most embellished on paper however is all out of kinds this 12 months in his first season again with the German crew. He seems devoid of type and confidence.
Pascal Ackermann (UAE Staff Emirates) can be a shadow of the rider he was just a few years in the past but additionally boasts wins within the Giro and Vuelta and has a latest one on the Tour de Pologne.
Outsiders embrace: Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco), Dan McLay (Arkea-Samsic), Jake Steward (Groupama-FDJ), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), Itamar Einhorn (Israel-Premier Tech), Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma).
Alpecin proceed to experience exhausting. A reminder that crosswinds had been a part of the dialog however the wind is not blowing strongly at present.
58.5km to go
Breakaway over
That is it, after a number of chasing then backing off, chasing then backing off, Alpecin-Deceuninck have now introduced the peloton as much as the pinnacle of the race. The five-man break survived to the KOM climb, and since then they maybe understandably misplaced motivation, being on such a good leash. Anyway it is all along with almost 60km to go. What occurs now?
Alpecin are actually closing in on the breakaway once more! 59km to go…
Listed below are Alpecin and there is the Belgian champ Tim Merlier, who’s the favorite for at present.
67km to go
Bol has now rejoined however Azparren hasn’t… and as I write that the Spaniard does make it again ultimately. So it is the unique 5 breakaway riders again collectively and 52 seconds up on the peloton, the place Alpecin-Deceuninck are on the entrance with out anybody – themselves included? – figuring out what they’re doing.
Guernalec was second throughout that line, accumulating the ultimate KOM level, Van den Berg having taken two. Pau Miquel was additionally up there in third and tried to push the tempo after the climb.
The KOM banner comes into sight and Van den Berg hits out and takes it! He earns the polka-dots for tomorrow.
A dip down and a false flat now they usually’re knocking chunks out of one another from vary right here.
And now Bol is dropped.
The Dutchman tries to separate the group on the steep part however nothing doing.
Bol launches a giant acceleration
Onto the climb.
1500 metres to the foot of the climb and that assault sees the hole return out to a minute.
The opposite three work their method again.
Assault! Guernalec pings out from the break, forward of the climb. Van den Berg goes after him.
75km to go
As we focus on the breakaway’s possibilities, it begins to appear like it will not be any of them. Alpecin convey the hole right down to 23 seconds, 5km out from the climb.
EF have Julius van den Berg up there. They’re the one WorldTour crew represented however we noticed on the Tour their willingness to go after the early polka-dots via Magnus Cort. A day in a particular jersey at a Grand Tour truly carries some UCI factors, which, for a crew close to the underside of the rankings like EF, is kind of useful too.
Up within the breakaway, Jetse Bol is using for one of many Spanish wildcard groups, Burgos BH. They’d love the jersey for his or her sponsors, however there’s the added incentive of Bol being Dutch and racing on house soil.
Just about the only operate of this climb will likely be to anoint a King of the Mountains. Chris Harper, considerably randomly, wears the polka-dot jersey at present however there have been no factors handed out on yesterday’s flat TTT, and there are not any extra climbs at present after the Amerongse, so the primary to the highest may have the jersey tomorrow.
We’re 10km from the primary and solely climb of the day. It is the Amerongse climb and it has been given the complete Spanish therapy to be badged up because the ‘Alto de Amerongse’.
It is 2.1km lengthy at 2.4%, which isn’t going to strike concern into anybody, but it surely does have a reasonably steep pitch on the backside.
Over in Denmark, Christophe Laporte has notched one other Jumbo-Visma victory, or slightly, two. He wins the uphill dash on the ultimate stage of the Tour of Denmark to grab the general title on bonus seconds. Report and leads to the hyperlink under.
85km to go
The five-man breakaway have a lead of 30 seconds over the peloton.
Israel have backed off. The crew behind Alpecin is now that of the race chief, Jumbo-Visma.
The hole goes again out to 45 seconds however Alpecin are again using in single file once more…
The peloton bunches up and what had been a single-file line now sees a row of riders throughout the complete width of the street – a transparent indication the tempo has been knocked off.
However now they do again off! What?!
100km to go
Into the ultimate 100 and Alpecin, having seemingly dropped off a bit, decide up the tempo once more on narrower, twistier roads. The hole is round 10 seconds.
Onto one other bridge and the breakaway are dangling out entrance and having to go all-in simply to take action.
The breakaway quintet go searching and see the bunch
The Alpecin riders’ shoulders are swinging. This bunch is correctly shifting now… and they’ll wipe out the break
We’re 35km from the one climb of the day, a cat-4 pimple. We’re 15km from a change in route. However why would Alpecin care concerning the KOM jersey? And it does not appear like echelon energy crosswinds…
What is occurring?
30 seconds now!
The hole drops under one minute
Which means one other Alpecin rider has to come back round and sew issues again collectively. Alpecin aren’t seeking to exploit the wind, they’re simply using exhausting for… properly I do not know fairly why. They might give the breakaway 10 minutes right here and nonetheless catch them however they’re pegging them again to 1:45 now.
I discussed the phrase bizarre. Nicely now we’ve a two-man cut up off the entrance of the bunch. Alpecin are nonetheless going actually exhausting and one Israel rider asks ‘why’ and apparently simply lets the hole go.
118km to go
Alpecin proceed to work weirdly exhausting and the hole drops under the two-minute mark.
And here is race chief Robert Gesink alongside three-time Vuelta champion Primoz Roglic
This is the peloton tackling a bridge in what’s among the many largest inclines they’re going to face at present.
This is the map for at present’s stage. We’re on that lengthy stretch east.
The hole hovers simply above two minutes as we transfer into a protracted tailwind part of the route.
It is not frantic, however Alpecin proceed to set a extremely robust tempo, and the hole retains falling 2:15 now and that looks as if an unnecessarily tight margin with 144km to go.
Some, erm, fascinating… feedback from QuickStep boss Patrick Lefevere after the TTT.
150km to go
3:30 now because the hole continues to fall.
The hole comes right down to 4 minutes. Alpecin have a rider on the nostril however Israel-Premier Tech have just a few males up there. Their sprinter is Itamar Einhorn.
It has simply began to rain frivolously.
159km to go
5 minutes the hole now (and no signal of a protest), as Alpecin-Deceuninck, crew of Tim Merlier, come to the entrance of the bunch to maintain issues below management.
Stories of a protest blocking the street. We have seen a lorry with the phrase ‘gasoline’ and one thing else in Dutch on the aspect, and it’s blocking a street, however unsure if it is blocking the race route. Watch this area.
“In case you are caught for tales…” my colleague Alasdair Fotheringham texts from Utrecht, in what I hope is just not a judgement on how this dwell weblog has began out, however a sympathetic try to assist me fill these subsequent 4 flat and windless hours.
“The beginning city was the place the 1996 Tour de France started. Pissed down with rain, crashes in every single place, and a press room in a cattle market that reeked of manure. We liked it.”
Undecided fairly easy methods to unpack that…
It is simple going within the peloton because the hole reaches almost three minutes after nearly 15km of racing.
The riders on this break are:
Julius van den Berg (EF Training-EasyPost)
Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH)
Xabier Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Thibault Guernalec (Arkea-Smasic)
Pau Miquel (Kern Pharma)
Now we have six on this breakaway and we will see the orange of Euskaltel, the purple of Burgos, and the inexperienced of Kern Pharma. That is the Spanish wildcard groups accounted for. We have additionally received an EF and an Arkea.
We’re on a weirdly slim street that appears extra like a cycle path, however both method it is proving helpful terrain for blocking the street within the bunch.
A gaggle clips off the entrance and the peloton begins to ease. Breakaway imminent.
We’re off
As I waffle on concerning the wind, the race is waved underway. We’re in some form of industrial hinterland and it is not fairly but it surely’s a quick begin.
One issue that would forestall a ‘bunchie’ is the wind, with this being a twisting route pretty close to the coast. But it surely’s not blowing strongly at present. One to look at, after all, but it surely’s not apparent drama from that perspective.
The riders have all soaked up the ambiance and are presently on the transfer, rolling out to kilometre-zero for the beginning of this stage, a 175km flat one that appears set to culminate in a bunch dash.
There are large crowds in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (sure, I clearly copy and pasted that) for the beginning of this opening street stage. There have been spectacular scenes in Utrecht yesterday too, the Netherlands metropolis now having welcomed all three Grand Excursions.
The Dutch know easy methods to help a motorcycle race, and are on track to rival the Danes on the latest Tour de France at this charge.
Hi there and welcome to Cyclingnews’ dwell protection of stage 2 of the Vuelta a España
