Cycling The second stage in the Tour of Catalonia, won by Michael Matthews. The rider of Team Sunweb took it after a sprint uphill. The leader’s jersey from Thomas De Gendt was not in danger. Chris Froome crashed and lost more than ten minutes.

“Wednesday, I am my leader’s jersey to lose”, said Thomas De Gendt yesterday after his solo in the Tour of Catalonia. Our fellow countryman if in the second stage with the leader’s jersey to his shoulders to leave. Without accidents, he would also be kept. With a lead of 2:48 was De Gendt today with peace of mind from the start.

all the more so because the second stage is not yet on the size of the klassementsmannen was. About 166,7 km went from Mataro to San Feliu de Guixols. A flat stage with here and there a broken passage. Ideal for the sprinters with some climbing skill. Matthews and Impey were the men to make it to the finish in the holes to keep.

Go three escapees that the wedstrijdgebeuren if colors. Cerny, Gregaard and Minnaard reason a end ahead, but Lotto-Soudal and Team Sunweb kept the attack well under control. When Astana on the last hill of the day passed, it was the three of them there for the effort.

Not that nothing had happened on the road. No one less than Chris Froome crashed on the Catalan asphalt. The Brit was along with McCarthy involved in a crash. The four-time tour winner had to go on with abrasions to the elbow and the right thigh. Froome would be after his fall and on more than ten minutes from the winner within spheres.

And who listened to the name of Michael Matthews. The Australian had last week almost forced to give up for Milan-Sanremo, but won now by force majeure, the sprint uphill. ‘Bling’ won in San Feliu de Guixols for Valverde and Impey. De Gendt, of course, remains the leader.

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