The Italian Alessandro De Marchi ended eighteen months of drought by winning the 2nd stage of the Tour of the Alps, which allowed the Norwegian Tobias Foss to keep his leader’s jersey, Tuesday in Stans (Austria).
De Marchi (Jayco), whose last victory dates back to the Trois Vallées Varésines in 2022, won alone at the end of the 190.7 km of a stage including two passes, including a 2nd category.
The 37-year-old Italian was ahead of the Austrian Patrick Gamper and the Swiss Simon Pellaud, his two breakaway companions from whom he left company 17 km from the finish in the main difficulty of the day. The favorites including Frenchman Romain Bardet (DSM), quickly relegated to four minutes behind the breakaway, remained wisely in the peloton, in anticipation of the 3rd and 4th stages, the most difficult of the week.
Foss, winner of the 1st stage, retains first place in the general classification with four seconds ahead of Australian Chris Harper and six seconds over Colombian Jhoan Esteban Chaves. Bardet, 7th, gained two places, 13 seconds behind the leader.
Ranking of the 2nd stage:
1. Alessandro De Marchi (ITA/Jayco) 190.7 km in 4 h 47 min 37 sec
2. Patrick Gamper (AUT/Bora-Hansgrohe) at 1:20.
3. Simon Pellaud (SUI/Tudor) 1:24.
…
9. Romain Bardet (FRA/DSM) m.t.