Cycling Julian Alaphilippe has the second stage in Tirreno-Adriatico to his name. The Frenchman Deceuninck – Quick.Step took it on the steep finish to Pomarance for Greg Van Avermaet (CCC) and the Italian Alberto Bettiol (EF Education First). Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) was fourth, Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) tenth. The Brit Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) finished fifth and took the leader’s jersey from his ploegmakker, the Australian Michael Hepburn.

The flight of the day in the first stage in line of 195 miles was already after a few kilometers formed. The Spaniard Markel Irizar (Trek-Segafredo) had therein the companionship of the Italian Mirco Maestri (Bardiani), the Eritreeër Natnael Berhane (Cofidis), the Austrian Sebastian Schönberger (Neri Sottoli) and the Russian Stepan Kurianov (RusVelo). Their maximumvoorsprong was a little more than four minutes, but thirteen kilometers from the finish their adventure is over.

In the final imponeerden the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and the Kazak Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) with demarrages, but no one got away. There were sprints as well with a select few and therein showed Alaphilippe are all-powerful.

Tomorrow is the longest stage, about 226 km from Pomarance to Foligno, on the program in Tirreno-Adriatico. There are the sprinters for the first time.

Of the Team: “Sorry, but Alaphilippe was stronger”

“It is unfortunate that I again second word,” said Van Avermaet after the end. “I ride a good sprint, but Julian was just faster and stronger. That is a bit sour, that I again second word. But it is also better than third”, he tried a joke to make. “I came here for a stage win, that has not yet succeeded. I bots on someone who again is stronger. Sadly, I am the second places a little bit tired.”

Van Avermaet was runner-up in the Circulation, and the second in the fourth stage of the Tour of Oman, where he was also once a third place medal. He won, however, at the beginning of February the third stage in the Tour of Valencia. “I have to positive to remember”, he finished. “I’m along the front, fight for the victory, and word is not unloaded. My form is very good, but it would be nice if I had even a victory had been caught.”