The second stage of the Delta Tour Zeeland is a flat stage that looks tailor-made for the sprinters. The only obstacle of any description is the stage length – at almost 200km it could really test some legs. The bookmakers seem to think that the length will prove difficult for some of the better criterium sprinters like Daniel Thorsen and Samai Samai and instead the favourites list include: Simon Gaywood Mahdi Sohrabi Robbie Williams
Dyson in particular will be looking for a strong result today after their slightly disappointing day yesterday. Armavia would also like a win to get them off the bottom of the table.
The race starts off straight away with 5 riders attempting to get away inside the first kilometre. The aggressors are: McCarty Bachraty Sinicinas Dietziker Castillo
These five spark off five more riders who make the junction to the front group. This second group consists of: Desirac Rosdi J. Van Hoecke De Souza Martikainen
As these five join the others who are up front there are signs of discontent as the leading group starts to attack each other. A group of 6 get away and they are clearly much happier with this. They are: McCarty Bachraty Sinicinas Desirac Rosdi J. Van Hoecke
These 6 quickly pull out 40” on the others, who are joined by a lot more new attackers, bolstering their numbers to a full 15 riders, with the biggest name being Anthony Colin, Tyskie’s leader for this race, who could easily hold on to it tomorrow. With 50km raced, there is still a long time to go, however, but a group of this size could stay away without too much trouble. They manage to pull back the 6 leaders and so a huge group of 21 riders is formed.
However, everyone in the group realises that with 20 other men around them their own chances of winning are slim. As such several attacks start up but only one manages to gain any serious ground. The five riders in it are: Ochoa Bachraty Sinicinas Desirac J. Van Hoecke
Ochoa is the only one of these riders not in one of the first two attacks of the day.
These five riders work well together and pull out over a minute on the chasers, who are all looking at each other trying to figure out who will do the work. This means that rather quickly they are brought back by the peleton, who are lead by a fast-riding Hossaini Reza. Armavia are really hoping to set this up today.
Nevertheless, the pace isn’t so high as to discourage more attacks. Zambrano and Simunek attack out of the group now, and together they manage to bridge across the gap after a lengthy chase. With 80km ridden and 117 to go, the 7 men up front have a 3’12” lead over the peleton lead by Vodafone and Armavia. Ochoa is the best placed in the group on GC being at +6”.
The first intermediate sprint comes up and everyone goes for it, realising that the bonus seconds are worth grabbing, given how tightly-packed everyone is after the prologue. Sinicinas takes it out over Simunek and then Zambrano. This puts Sinicinas in the best position out of the breakaway, as he is now only 4” down.
The gap reaches a maximum gap of 7 minutes and then Armavia and Vodafone continue to share the pace, setting it at a slightly higher tempo. With 28 to go the gap is down to 2’13”, and then something interesting occurs. Bandiera makes an attack out of the group in the hope of bridging the gap to the leaders. Maybe Adecco aren’t too confident in his ability in a bunch sprint?
At the final sprint prime, with 21.3km remaining, Simunek comes through in first, ahead of Ochoa and then Zambrano. Ochoa is now only 2 seconds down on GC. Bandiera comes through 1’19” later, and the Peleton is only 40 seconds behind him.
Under the 10km to go banner and as the rain starts to fall, Bandiera joins the front group but they now only have a 48” lead on the chasing peleton. The bunch is still lead almost entirely by Vodafone and no one else seems willing to help them out in an effort to save their lead-out riders.
The lead group keep the pace high and are working well together still, whereas behind Vodafone has run out of steam entirely. With 5km to go the gap has actually widened slightly to 52”.
The lead group’s order in the run-in to the sprint is as follows: Ochoa Simunek Sinicinas Zambrano Bachraty Bandiera J. Van Hoecke Desirac
Meanwhile, behind the group is lead by Vodafone, with the train looking like this: Holt Norris Williams Sohrabi Gomes Colinas Fabbri
Up front Ochoa fades and Simunek comes through earlier than he would have wanted to. Sinicinas and Zambrano seem to have the best position at the moment as Ochoa forces Bachraty to change his line slightly.
Or so the others might think. Bandiera leaps off Bachraty’s wheel and puts his huge turn of speed to good effect! Behind, the peleton has caught the back of the bunch.
No one can fault Bandiera today. A risky attack towards the end of the stage paid off handsomely.
Meanwhile, behind, Sinicinas comes through in 2nd and Simunek rounds out the podium. Zambrano, Desirac and Bachraty make the top 6 and Gomes Colinas is the best from the bunch in 7th place.
Sinicinas takes the yellow jersey for his efforts throughout the day.
