The second stage takes the rider from Blankenberge to Ardooie. Wait, this is not the Netherlands, this is Belgium. Oh well, let's call it the Ronde van Groot-Nederland then, this land was ours until the Belgian Revolution of 1830. Let's pretend that didn't happen and be friends, okay?
Hofstetter opened the morning attacks and currently leads solo, followed by a large group of 17 riders who wish to join him. Before I endeavor in naming them all, let's see if they get to be in the break at all with the peloton still close by.
The answer is no, as the group of 17 got caught. Hofstetter led by only twenty-five seconds at that point and would be swept up as well. The attacks start all over again.
Attempt number two: Vanmarcke and Manakov. However, they are heavily chased by other riders who want to be in the break who in turn are being chased by the sprinter teams who don't want a big breakaway. This ends in failure as well.
Third time's the charm? Venturini, Stoltz, Teunissen and Boonratanathanakorn have a gap. Manakov tries to join again.
The quartet makes it to the intermediate sprint in the lead, with Venturini winning the points and bonus seconds ahead of Stoltz and Teunissen. Manakov has been reeled in again and a new counter attempt by Ji and Riesebeek led to nothing as well. The sprinter teams have considerably slowed down the peloton, giving this final breakaway a gap of three minutes and a bit.
Different teams than yesterday at the front of the peloton though. Aker, Indosat and Bennelong have their riders do the preliminary chasing, with Clarke observing from behind. Air France doesn't have to do anything in spite of having the race leader in their squad, neither do eBuddy and Podium Ambition after their work yesterday wasn't rewarded with a win.
Fifty kilometer to go, ten kilometer to another intermediate sprint, and the gap is halved to 1'35. Same teams at the front as in the beginning of the stage except Aegon occasionally joined in the chase.
Venturini takes his second sprint of the day, this time ahead of Boonratanathanakorn and Teunissen. The gap is down to a minute, but we have 40 kilometer to go instead of 10 as the banner in the background suggests. We are at the local laps around Ardooie, like yesterday a small circuit with some nasty turns.
No such thing as friendship in the breakaway as Teunissen sets off solo, Venturini goes after him. The lead over the peloton increases just a bit to 1'20.
After a few kilometer the four were reunited but not for long apparently, as Stoltz attacks. Clearly there is some bad blood amongst the four as this is in no way helping their cause, they will be exhausted come the end of the stage.
The Luxembourgian led solo for a good ten kilometer but realized it was a hopeless adventure, and the four individuals are once again confined to one another. They still hold their 1'20 advantage at 22 kilometer from the finish line.
The reunification didn't last long as it's Venturini's turn. Bennelong and Air France finally bring the gap under the minute again, but with 18 kilometer they need to work hard to catch the leaders in a reasonable manner.
Four kilometer later we have four leaders again. If we follow the rotation it should be Boonratanathanakorn to attack, but he withholds his right. Two laps to go, the peloton is fully intact unlike yesterday. The sprinters are ready at the front, and Aker comes back to the front to help in the final push.
And everything went to plan as the breakaway is caught at eight kilometer from the line, giving the teams enough margin to set up their sprint trains. Podium Ambition did not lend a hand in chasing today but now they come to the front in almost full force with Matthews, Edmondson and Thomas for Ewan. Festina has faith in Coquard despite his underwhelming result of yesterday, and assemble a train as well. The third team to make an effort is eBuddy for Grosu. Kennaugh once again looking to benefit of other teams.
The situation as we are ready for the final dash to the finish line:
Lammertink
Thomas
Vermeltfoort
Nelson
Daniel
Brus
Ewan
Weber
Keukeleire
Roosen
Coquard
Grosu
Kennaugh
Edmondson
Kristoff
Van der Lijke
Thurau
Van Stayen
Guerao
Groenewegen
Zabel
Puccio
Howard
Swift
Haddi
Kump
Ulanowski
Serebriakov
Demare
Festina and eBuddy both derail, leaving Podium Ambition as the strongest train running. eBuddy regroups but end up behind Ewan, fighting with the now lone Coquard for the Australian's wheel. Van Stayen sticks to Grosu's wheel as the others are still searching.
Grosu can thank Lammertink and Vermeltfoort, as they pull him alongside Ewan. Coquard has settled for Grosu's wheel, while he has Van Stayen on his. Howard is looking for Ewan to create the Australian tandem. Kennaugh still has Puccio at the front but it is not enough for a leadout, more like a guide to find the leader the right wheel to sprint on.
Van Stayen sweeps across the road to launch the sprint, surprising both eBuddy and Podium Ambition. Van der Lijke, Kristoff and Kump take the left side of the road. Coquard and Groenewegen through the middle, Howard with Kennaugh on the right. Swift surprisingly far back, not looking good for yesterday's runner-up.
The Belgian might have gone too early as he's about to be passed on all sides. Ewan, Howard and Coquard on his left, Grosu and Van der Lijke on his right. Kennaugh, Groenewegen, Kump and Kristoff are looking for an opening, which seems to occur in the middle of the road but who has the balls to dive in there. Demare and Guerao lead the next pack of riders, but they battle for eleventh place.
150 meters to go and why not make it seven in a row for good measure. Kennaugh has found the gap, something Groenewegen, Kump and Kristoff failed to do. At this point, anyone out of Ewan, Howard, Kennaugh, Coquard, Van Stayen, Grosu and Van der Lijke can win.
And it's two in a row for Peter Kennaugh! The yellow jersey found the gap and with a mighty bike throw takes the victory today. The stage podium is completed by Grosu and Howard after analysis of the photo finish. Van der Lijke, Ewan, Coquard and Van Stayen in that order for the next positions.
The sprint of the second row is won by Groenewegen ahead of Kristoff and Kump, who completes the top ten and takes the final bonus second.
Demare finishes eleventh ahead of Guerao, Samolenkov, Guardini and Serebriakov. Haddi was tasked to lead out Swift but something must have gone wrong in the comuniciation as he finishes 16th and his leader only 26th. Another disappointing day for Zabel, after his 17th position yesterday he only finishes 23rd today.
Peter Kennaugh obviously remains GC leader and now has a 20 second gap over Grosu and 22 over Howard. If the next stage ends in a bunch sprint again, either Grosu or Howard has to win and Kennaugh has to finish outside the top positions to steal the race victory away from the Manx via bonus seconds. Ewan in fourth at 28 seconds, and remains unchallenged in the youth classification. Swift drops to fifth at 32 seconds, six seconds ahead of Groenewegen and Van der Lijke. The points standings reflect the GC, with Kennaugh leading and almost the same gaps. Van der Hoorn finished the stage, thus retaining the polka dot jersey. Team Tinkoff takes over the lead in the teams classification with three riders in the top 22, despite their best rider (Samolenkov) only finishing 13th.
