The riders made their way through the Táchira Depression overnight, heading to the southern part of the eponymous state for a criterium around the Municipio Libertador. The entire region had a population of just 20 thousand at the last census, half of which are concentrated at today's start-finish location: Abejales. Like much of Táchira, the local economy is largely agrarian and the riders will feel largely disconnected from global trade networks as they navigate their way through a variety of fruit plantations and cattle ranches. With a largely flat parcour and just two early intermediate sprints in La Pedrera, JEWA TIROL will be hoping that Boudat and Degenkolb can repeat the previous days successes as the race organisers expect a group sprint.
There was a little bit of a tussle before the cameras came on, as Simba Cement tried to control the numbers with Quinten Hermans and Heiko Redecker. The directeur sportifs of the other sprint teams weren't as concerned and the escapees' leash was eventually extended. Two Stela - Vita riders in Marildo Yzeiraj and Yves Lampaert were joined by Luis Esteban Murillo and Jakub Skala. The first intermediate sprint would see Skala just edge out Yzeiraj, but the latter went the way of Murillo. Lampaert didn't fight for either, instead working for his teammate on the long stretches inbetween.
There were a number of teams that took the front. The break was allowed out to just over four minutes before they began to be reeled in. For Hilcona: Adrian Nitu, Alessio Martinelli, Casper van Uden and Gerben Kuypers. For JEWA TIROL: Axel Laurance and Maximilian Kabas. For Würth MODYF: Kobe Goossens and Albin Stalberg. As the gap comes under a minute, heavy crosswinds force a split in the peloton. Stuck on the wrong side are Gavin Mannion and Giulio Ciccone. This is not the way they want their GC ambitions to come to an end; Pedro Silva, Pierre-Pascal Keup and Julian Braun are sent to close the gap. The combined might of this trio is enough to overcome Tom Dumoulin, who had taken over the front. Things are brought back together with about 15 kilometres remaining.
Yves Lampaert is the first to fall away from the lead group, having expended himself in service of his teammate. Not willing to lead the others all the way to the line, Marildo Yzeiraj goes on the offensive, launching an attack which dislodges both Luis Esteban Murillo and Jakub Skala. It is still mostly Tom Dumoulin leading the chase, albeit with some assistance from Tsgabu Grmay. The Ethiopian really ought to save his legs for the mountains!
Joshua Huppertz finally comes in to relieve the aforementioned duo as we pass under the five kilometre banner, but it is too little far too late. Marildo Yzeiraj still has a gap of more than a minute. Everyone else might have been caught but the Albanian sensation is going to go all the way. The pack instead prepares to sprint for second-place.
The high winds and high pace have created an absolute mess. The Continental Tour might not be known for the cleanest sprint trains at the best of times but on this occasion they've completely abandoned any semblance of order coming round the final bend. Joshua Huppertz and Quinten Hermans form the front row. Neither are capable sprinters and can thus be safely discarded. More dangerous is the next row: Oscar Guerao, Jacob Kelly and Zhihui Jiang. They'll be looking to make the most of their advantageous positioning to surprise the bigger favourites lined up behind them. Alexander Krieger, John Degenkolb and Issiaka Cisse form the third row with Emils Liepins, Adomaitis Rojus and Tom Scully next. Gabriel Marin, Ivano Lo Cicero, Thomas Boudat and Dan McLay can be spotted on the left side of the image.
Marildo Yzeiraj wins Stage 2 of the Vuelta al Táchira 2023! Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh had the right idea trying to prevent him getting away, he proved to be too much for the sprint teams to handle.
It is Tom Scully who gets the best launch of the sprinting pack, although he faces fierce competiton. Issiaka Cisse is still fighting hard on Scully's shoulder, but his head has begun to drop. Gabriel Marin, on the near side, has already made a lot of progress, and spares his next target a quick glance. Degenkolb might not have been able to match his counterparts accelaration but he is up to speed now on the far side of the road and there are several others who have yet to even hit the wind.
Indeed, it is one of those who had sheltering in Cisse's wheel that wins the sprint: Emils Liepins. Avoiding the wind was clearly the superior strategy, as Adomaitis Rojus rounds out the podium with a bikethrow. Only the strongest sprinters - Marin (4th) and Degenkolb (5th) - could maintain their speed, whilst Scully and Cisse dropped to 8th and 9th respectively. There was an element of risk to hanging back, as Alexander Krieger (6th), Dan McLay (7th) and Ivano Lo Cicero (10th) all found their progress hampered by slowing riders.
