The sprinters will continue their battle on Stage 2.
With no regret of his Stage 1 efforts, Xavier Nieves went off in the first breakaway attempt on Stage 2. Joined by 6 others this time: Daniel, Per, G Juarez, Vila, Hamilton and Doull.
Too many for the peloton, so instead we got a break of 2.
Fabio Taborre
Statoil Pro Cycling
Miles Scotson
Philips - Continental
Just two in the break meant two points available to the peloton at each sprint. That was enough to encourage most of the top sprinters to go for it. So while Taborre won both sprints up front, Angarita and Mezgec won the minor psychological energy-wasting battles behind.
The Balkan Cycle Project had no desire to waste energy today for Mezgec, so race leaders Kulczyk - DMTEX picked up the slack alongside Reddit and Sauber Petronas. The breakaway were caught with 15km to go.
But the Balkan team took their lack of effort too far. There's some strong wind about, and 19 have been dropped, including much of their team - leader Karnulin included!
More splits quickly follow. A 51 man group without any team leader amongst them - although with the white jersey Kennett in there, while Suaza struggles to cling on to the remaining 68 man peloton.
And with 4km to go a group of 20 springs off the front of the peloton! The sprint build up is underway. Again Reddit shoot forward with Vuillermoz ahead (out of shot) and Manfredi forwards too. They've managed a lead-out train this time as well though, with Finn Kaislavuo ahead of Kip and Canelon - not the order I would have expected. Sauber Petronas are taking them on, with Hugentobler, Awang and Salleh.
George Bennett is the only GC rider to make this split, hoping for an early time gains, with mostly sprinters following Reddit and Sauber.
Awang takes to the front as the sprint begins, with Martinez again looking to follow the right wheels for Eddie Stobart. It is Sauber from Reddit, with Mezgec and Hochmann the next best sprinters.
The order behind them is Andriato, Bennett, Kreder, Angarita, Gatto, Vuillermoz, Manfredi and Sonnery.
Splintering off from his leader's wheel, Herony Canelon accelerates hard out of the bend to take the lead.
It's an impressive move from the local rider, as Salleh tries to find the pace to respond.
Kip is next, chased by Hochmann and Mezgec.
Canelon begins to fade after his strong acceleration, and now Salleh takes the lead!
But Kip now takes on the Reddit tag team lead, and fires clear.
Ismaël Kip wins the stage! It's his 2nd career Tachira stage victory, having previously won Stage 4 in 2013.
Hochmann comes through for 2nd, to defend his race lead, while Mezgec pips Salleh for 3rd.
Canelon held on for 5th, from Angarita, Kreder and Andriato. Martinez faded away, while Gatto was a non-factor today.
Bennett placed himself well for 13th, but Haussler and Awang would deny the front group any chance of time gain.
The spread field also allowed the larger dropped group to come back. Karnulin's group would lose nearly 5 minutes though.
Jesse Kaislavuo held on from his lead-out role well enough to take over the young rider's jersey.
1
Ismaël Kip
Team Reddit
2h56'58
2
Jíri Hochmann
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
3
Luka Mezgec
The Balkan Cycling Project
s.t.
4
Mohamed Harrif Salleh
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
5
Hersony Canelon
Team Reddit
s.t.
6
Marvin Orlando Angarita
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
7
Michel Kreder
Philips - Continental
s.t.
8
Rafael Andriato
SanCor
s.t.
9
Yannick Martinez
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
10
Oscar Gatto
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
11
Blaise Sonnery
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
12
Jesse Kaislavuo
Team Reddit
s.t.
13
George Bennett
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
14
Heinrich Haussler
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
15
Azizulhasni Awang
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
16
Andrea Manfredi
Team Reddit
s.t.
17
Arthur Vichot
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
18
Xavier Nieves
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
19
Rafael Valls
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
20
Martin Hacecký
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
21
Alexis Vuillermoz
Team Reddit
s.t.
22
Rafael Serrano
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
23
Andriy Khripta
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
24
Estifanos Kebede
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
25
Ralf Matzka
Philips - Continental
s.t.
26
Pierre Paolo Penasa
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
27
Dario Cataldo
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
28
Kevin Seeldraeyers
Team Reddit
s.t.
29
Phillip Gaimon
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
30
Domenico Pozzovivo
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
31
Romain Bardet
Philips - Continental
s.t.
32
Alessandro De Marchi
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
33
Jaime Suaza
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
34
Jonathan Salinas
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
35
Gregory Hugentobler
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
36
Pawel Cieslik
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
37
Félix Emilio Besada
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
38
Daniel Ricardo Diaz
SanCor
s.t.
39
Carlos Baltazar
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
40
Maky Roman
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
41
Darwin Atapuma
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
42
Michal Schlegel
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
43
Jimmi Briceno
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
44
Mattia Pozzo
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
45
Rob Ruijgh
Philips - Continental
s.t.
46
Igor Antón
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
47
Gavin Mannion
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
48
Pedro Sequera
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
49
Winner Anacona
Team Reddit
s.t.
50
Asela Sisira
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
51
Artemio Moschella
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
52
Muhamma Afif Ahmad Zamri
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
53
José Rujano
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
54
Ignacio Jesus Prado
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
55
Óscar Solis
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
56
Enrico Battaglin
Philips - Continental
s.t.
57
Luca Forcellini
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
58
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
59
Mohammad Saufi Mat Senan
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
60
Rei Onodera
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
61
Peter Stetina
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
62
Tom Diggle
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
63
Micael Isidoro
Control Team
s.t.
64
Muhamad Adiq Othman
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
65
Aidan Van Niekerk
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
66
Mauro Richeze
SanCor
s.t.
67
Albert Kireva
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
68
Mickaël Delage
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
69
Tom Leezer
Philips - Continental
s.t.
70
Dimitri Jiriakov
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
71
Daniel Juarez
SanCor
s.t.
72
Riccardo Stacchiotti
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
73
Steve Fisher
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
74
Cedric Lebris
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
75
Mauro Finetto
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
76
Gasper Katrasnik
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
77
Nils Schomber
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
78
Krister Hagen
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
79
Gregory Daniel
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
80
Odd Christian Eiking
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
81
Richard Ochoa Quintero
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
82
Tormod Jacobsen
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
83
Mark Dowling
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
84
Dylan Kennett
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
85
Walter Trillini
SanCor
s.t.
86
Enzo Moyano
SanCor
s.t.
87
Ole Haavardsholm
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
88
Nic Hamilton
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
89
Alexander Rybakov
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
90
Damian Shaw
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
91
Ivan Vila
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
92
Juraj Ugrinic
The Balkan Cycling Project
s.t.
93
Egidijus Juodvalkis
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
94
Guy Diaz Groiller
Andorra Cycling Project
s.t.
95
Juan Pablo Magallanes
Control Team
s.t.
96
Sebastian Salas
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
97
Sergio Godoy
SanCor
s.t.
98
David Per
Philips - Continental
s.t.
99
Hideto Nakane
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
100
Denis Kostyuk
Control Team
s.t.
101
Luis Enrique Lemus Davila
Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo
s.t.
102
Marek Konwa
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
103
Dmitri Medvedev
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
104
Geremie Nzeke
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
105
Sota Ikibe
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
106
Robert Power
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
107
Jaime Roson
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
108
Thomas Peterson
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
109
Alex Ariya Destribois
The Balkan Cycling Project
s.t.
110
Mikaël Chérel
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
111
Niklas Eg
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
112
Edoardo Girardi
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
113
Songezo Jim
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
114
Anders Ekh Dahlberg
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
115
Rob Britton
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
116
Connor McCutcheon
Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack
s.t.
117
Jean-François Camier
Team Reddit
s.t.
118
Hussein Manfred
The Balkan Cycling Project
+ 4'47
119
Wolfgang Burmann
The Balkan Cycling Project
s.t.
120
Marco Benfatto
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
121
Paul Van der Ploeg
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
122
Denys Karnulin
The Balkan Cycling Project
s.t.
123
Owain Doull
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
124
Maxime La Lavandier
The Balkan Cycling Project
s.t.
125
Eduin Becerra
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
126
Eryk Laton
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
127
César Vaquera
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
128
Mirsamad Poorseyedi
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
129
Piotr Konwa
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
130
Fabio Taborre
Statoil Pro Cycling
s.t.
131
Miles Scotson
Philips - Continental
s.t.
132
Diego Rosa
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
133
Gabriel Juarez
SanCor
s.t.
134
Shaun Lewis
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
135
Aleksandar Roman
The Balkan Cycling Project
+ 5'52
136
Tao Geoghegan Hart
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
137
Nandra Eko Wahyudi
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
138
Simone Petilli
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
GC
1
Jíri Hochmann
Kulczyk - DMTEX
5h25'24
2
Ismaël Kip
Team Reddit
+ 12
3
Michel Kreder
Philips - Continental
+ 20
4
Luka Mezgec
The Balkan Cycling Project
+ 22
5
Oscar Gatto
Campari - Super Dry
+ 24
6
Marvin Orlando Angarita
Azteca-NBCSN
+ 30
7
Mohamed Harrif Salleh
Sauber Petronas Racing
+ 32
8
Yannick Martinez
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
9
Rafael Andriato
SanCor
s.t.
10
Hersony Canelon
Team Reddit
s.t.
11
Blaise Sonnery
Telia-Brussels Airlines
s.t.
12
Azizulhasni Awang
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
13
Jesse Kaislavuo
Team Reddit
s.t.
14
Rafael Valls
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
15
Heinrich Haussler
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes
s.t.
16
George Bennett
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
s.t.
17
Estifanos Kebede
Campari - Super Dry
s.t.
18
Andrea Manfredi
Team Reddit
s.t.
19
Rafael Serrano
Repsol - Honda
s.t.
20
Pierre Paolo Penasa
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
Most others at same time, except those losing time above.