Second stage and yet another for the sprinters. Can Roelandts make it 2/2?
And what about yesterdays failing trains? Will Red Bull, Orange and Grieg - Eftel be improved today? Their leaders at least are still rated top favourites.
Early on the Alto de Relleu will decide the first leader of the mountain jersey. It`s not the hardest and apparently the building of the break decides over it.
It`s Smirnovs for Evonik to take the glory. Declerq and Wallays coming over the line next.
Those three then also form the breakaway. As only other rider Duchesne was ahead of the peloton at the KoM but stopped after not getting any points there.
No sprint points for the peloton today. So to make it short. Smirnovs won both ahead of Wallays and Declercq. So no sharing in the break today!
The 3 main sprinter teams once again doing the full work and so the trio is in range with 8km to go when the trains already start to slowly form. We see the same 3 trains but Guarnieri in a much better position today.
2,5km to go and only Wallays a bit in front. Yet again the Red Bull train looking the best as on the right a mix of Grieg - Eftel and Orange riders with no clear train.
Tewelde
Quintana
Chen
Kreder
Pedersen
Coquard
Cavendish
Guarnieri
Juul-Jensen
Lay
Kennaugh
Enger
Saber
Keukeleire
-
Van der Lijke
Groenewegen
Roelandts
Only 1,1km to the line and Wallays disappointingly is caught.
Red Bull meanwhile with a better sprint train today as Chen is still ahead of Cavendish.
Enger from behind though looks like attacking him soon.
Coquard lost a bit to them.
Cavendish vs. Enger it seems.
Kreder from behind going fast but Kennaugh is not at his wheel.
Instead he is leading out Keukeleire, Guarnieri and Van der Lijke bheind.
Yesterdays 1-2 on the right side of the road behind Kennaugh but with quite a gap already equal to Saber/Lay/Coquard, who apparently was too long in the wind next to the Red Bull train.
Only 300m and while Cavendish vs. Enger is the more likely duel, Orange`s only chance seems to be Kreder on a good day. Keukeleire a bit behind with a late push?
No!
It`s the best sprinter of the race taking the win. Not a big surprise today seeing his train was the only solid one.
Enger improved to 2nd today and showed 2 nice sprints already.
Kreder just holds on for 3rd ahead of Keukeleire and Guarnieri. Van der Lijke, Saber, Kennaugh, Roelandts and Lay next with Groenwegen and Coquard just outside the top10.
Not unexpected seeing that close finishes really with that many riders on almost the same level! Still in especially Guarnieri and Kennaugh can`t be happy at all with two missed opportunities already. Neither can be Roelandts as he is losing his lead already to Cavendish now.