Tour of Tasmania
Stage 2
Penguin – Bonneys Tier Forest Reserve – 149.6km
The favorites list put our top hill riders at the top of course. Skujins lost time yesterday alongside Gesbert while Areruya appears in good position of the pure punchers. Lots of KOM points on offer today along the way.
8 riders get ahead to establish a breakaway before the first climb. Finkst, Kennaugh, Berwick and Mosca from yesterday’s breakaway, Meiler, Van den Broek, Hirt, and Krasts. Hirt is clearly the best climber of the group and looking to get something out of the race after yesterday’s unfortunate split. Mosca holds the KOM jersey and will try to defend.
Hirt takes the first 4th category climb ahead of Krasts and Meiler. Hirt lead it off from the front, showing just how powerful he could be today. Behind, 3 more escapees are trying to bridge across and aren’t being chased. Oldani, Balmer, and Bonnamour all want a chance at today’s breakaway and sit 1:00 behind the leaders.
At the first intermediate sprint, the 3 additional escapees are still caught in between. Hirt wins the sprint ahead of Krasts again while the 3rd spot is given to Berwick with folks close together at the line. Finkst is pulling at the front regularly for teammate Meiler and drops off at the explosive efforts. 120km to go and the gap is 3:00 to the peloton after the breakaway comes together to 11. Grieg-Maersk leads the peloton.
There’s conflicting reports from the organizers at the 2nd 4th category climb. One reporter indicates Hirt takes the win there over Bonnamour, while the overall tally lists Bonnamour as the first to cross the intermediate climb. Krasts appears to be the sure 3rd place and from our angle, Bonnamour did take the top points. A closer look at stage’s end will indicate just how close this sprint was.
Now at 111km to go, the peloton is pushing hard and already dropped the gap to 1:48 on this climb. Vabo is dropped from the peloton after doing a long time passing already.
The peloton is almost caught the breakaway with… 90km to go! Something about all 11 of those riders is really making people nervous. Heading down descents the peloton is completely lining out, requiring a few riders to pull themselves back after bad positioning. Lots of favorites already close to the front as well, with Areruya, Skujins, and Higuita all in the first 10 positions.
This time at a 3rd category climb, the standings are just as tight. 1st place looks to go to Bonnamour here with Mosca finally fighting for points on the day. Oldani takes the 3rd place points although again there are differences between results screens. The major point being that Mosca has absolutely maintained his lead on the competition at this climb while Bonnamour is coming close. Berwick’s time in the breakaway is over at the top of this hill and it’s just the 10 riders remaining with 85km to do with a 90 second gap.
Multiple domestiques are also off the back, especially some good time trialists like Gonzalez Salas, Yatsevich, Goldstein, Erdenebat, and Atkins. Clearly domestiques have had to burn matches early today as this looks like a very tough race. Fastned has taken up responsibility at the front.
The gap continues to descend on this slightly downhill plateau but the pace is relentless from the peloton, pushing the difference to just 45 seconds with 60km to go. Lots of teams looking at each other to do the pacing, including Oxxo-Frisby, Tinkoff Team – La Datcha, and EA Vesuvio. Grieg-Maersk surprisingly has been able to let other teams keep those duties.
It’s another 4th category climb with 46km to go and this one is taken by Hirt ahead of Bonnamour and Oldani, thankfully without question. Hirt and Bonnamour both continue to shrink the gap to Mosca, but the current leader stays. And with only 36 seconds to the peloton flying behind, it would be a surprise for any of them to gain the later points at the finish or the only cat 2. Just over the top, the entire breakaway sits up and the peloton is all back together. A sprint point in 10km with 32km left to go means the sprinters will have something to fight for today unexpectedly.
At the sprint, Bol is the best positioned of the sprinters, but a very late jump allows Peak to take 1st place points over Bol and then Nommela. Abdul Halil takes the always frustrating useless 4th place here. 32km to the finish.
With 20km to go, there’s another split in the peloton due to the undulating terrain crossed over the past 12km. The gap opens and closes regularly. Haig the biggest name caught behind earlier, but he managed to hold onto the back of the front pack of 84 heading into the 2nd category climb. Lots of sprinters still present up front including yellow jersey Abdul Halil.
The 2nd category climb is taken by Van Zyl, with Schelling, Hänninen, and Phinney taking the major points through 4th place. Skujins gets the remaining two it appears. Clearly, Phinney and Skujins see themselves making a huge impact in the final. Wirtgen is also right on Skujins wheel and doesn’t want to give away any bonus seconds on the finish. 16km to go! Groups are splitting and reforming behind the top 50 with irregular updates, but most favorites appear secure up front.
Under the 10km to go banner, Valter start an attack up a minor incline before the two finishing kickers. It’s not much of an attack, but it really strings the field out and those in good position now will surely benefit later on. Gesbert is the best positioned of the other major favorites at this point. Overall the attack goes nowhere as Tinkoff controls the peloton.
There’s almost a stale mate between 9km to go and 5km as the road hits 17% gradient at one point. Vansevenant sits at the front but just looks around for Phinney who is now about 30 positions back. Higuita and Wirtgen sit near the front next to Areruya, who has been well supported all stage. A short decline and then the final 3km kicker.
2km to go and Vansevenant is still leading. Eastman in his wheel while Wirtgen leads a row on the right with Higuita behind him. Areruya on his own on the left, almost as if no one even dares think about getting in his way. Leknessund is well positioned today, as is Mano who we haven’t discussed much but can be a real menace in the TT. Some sprinters, including Cullaigh and Peak are still close to the front as well.
The flamme rouge indicates 1km to go and Vansevenant is still crushing it at the front. Wouldn’t that be a surprise for him to take the stage. Areruya and Valter are 2nd and 3rd but with some ground to make up. Skujins looks prepped for an attack as well.
500m and Vansevenant has given up much of the lead, but does still control the group. Skujins has caught Valter who looks very strong at this point. Gesbert is also in good position now and a win would make this an absolute shocker of a Tour for Assa Abloy. Higuita remains in good position as well, while Peak is trying to hold up the sprinters’ morale.
200m to go is not much and guess who is now level… it’s ARERUYA! He wants that first uphill finish of the season. Coming up strong from behind is Phinney who needs to weave through some riders but is definitely passing a number of riders in those 300m. Skujins looks to be faltering, alongside Vansevenant. Valter still in good position for the podium placing.
We should expect nothing else than Areruya celebrating at the line as he takes stage 2 hear in Tasmania! Vansevenant was heading backwards but does take 2nd ahead of Valter who just didn’t have enough time. Fastned will need to evaluate whether that was the right call for the GC, but a great stage result nonetheless.
Fourth goes to Higuita while 5th goes to the American 4-time defending champion, Phinney. Gesbert in 6th, Leknessund in 7th, Wirtgen 8th, Skujins 9th and Conci 10th finishes off the major placings. Importantly, Mano and Würtz are clearly in the group alongside Ganna and Oliveira for top TTers who held in the top group yesterday. Still more are likely on same time, but they performed especially well.
Areruya takes the stage win and now goes tied for the GC lead! 20 seconds don’t seem like quite enough for the lead though come tomorrow’s stage 3 time trial.
