VUELTA: STAGE 2

1-2 for Quickstep as Yves Lampaert wins and now leads overall whilst Adam Blythe is 3rd on the stage – round up of reactions

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

VUELTA: STAGE 2

Yves Lampaert wins Vuelta a España stage 2 after Quick-Step Floors masterclass

Quickstep Press Release
Quick-Step Floors became on Sunday afternoon the first team to capture stage wins in all three Grand Tours this season, taking its remarkable tally in the 2017 three-week races to 11 triumphs, an all-time best for the outfit managed by Patrick Lefevere. This outstanding feat was achieved on stage 2 of the Vuelta a España, which took place between Nîmes and Gruissan, over a pan flat course exposed to crosswinds, which saw all the teams stay alert throughout the day, not allowing any breakaway to form.

Our boys were the main instigators, as they moved to the front just ahead of the penultimate roundabout of the day, inside the last 2000 meters, with the likes of Niki Terpstra Julian Alaphilippe, Yves Lampaert and Matteo Trentin pilling up the pressure and pushing the pedal to the metal; their forcing in the strong crosswinds fractured the peloton, who was preparing for a bunch gallop after 203 long and nervous kilometers, and animated what should have been the first stage to conclude in a bunch gallop.

As chaos ensued behind, Quick-Step Floors continued to ride hard and cause splits, only a handful of men being capable of taking their wheel. Then, under the flamme rouge, Yves attacked and put his impressive time trial skills to work, powering away and holding onto that advantage until the finish line, as behind teammate Matteo Trentin helped this move stick by disrupting any chase attempt, before sprinting to second place.

Lampaerts’ maiden Grand Tour victory is the fourth for the 26-year-old rider from Izegem in what can already be labeled as his finest season to date, one in which he conquered also Dwars door Vlaanderen, Gullegem Koerse and the National ITT Championships.
… continued after advert

2016_ShuttVeloRapideAdvert

“Our ideal scenario was to create an echelon long before the finish, but in case this didn’t happen, then we had a back-up plan: to try again in the last kilometers. We wanted to deliver Matteo in a perfect position to sprint for the win, but once we splintered the peloton and opened a gap in the final kilometer, we improvised a bit, as he told me to go, and that’s what I did. I am extremely happy our plan worked to perfection. I can’t find my words to tell you how I feel after this unbelievable day. I can’t find the words to tell you how I feel after this unbelievable day. It’s really crazy and I couldn’t have done it without the help of my incredible teammates”, an ecstatic Yves Lampaert said in Gruissan.

The 26-year-old – who this season stepped up a level – became the first Belgian rider since 2010 to don the leader’s jersey at the Vuelta a España. Besides the general classification, where Lampaert and Trentin got hold of the top two positions, Quick-Step Floors came out of Sunday’s race also with the green jersey (worn by the same Yves) and the first place in the team standings, all results which brought huge joy to sport director Rik Van Slycke.

“The team’s first goal of the day was to help Matteo take three seconds at the intermediate sprint, knowing these would have helped him get closer in the GC. This was important, because with those bonifications there was a fair chance for him to seize the leader’s jersey at the end of the stage, providing he would have finished in the first two”, Rik Van Slycke explained.

“A few teams tried to split the group during the stage, but it was too early. You need to know when to do that and wait for the right moment. For us, that moment came with two kilometers remaining, once Niki took the reins and went full gas. Then Julian took over and pushed hard, while Matteo played it really smart, leaving a gap behind Yves and allowing him to break clear. It was a tactical masterpiece. To win stages in all Grand Tours this year is sensational and overwhelming! I am very proud of the boys and of the entire team”, Van Slycke concluded.

Other Reactions

Adam Blythe: “It was good today – bit disappointed that we were so close but so far. I was feeling good today and I was really up for the stage. The team worked really well today and managed the crosswind sections really well. I have been looking at this stage for a while but you have to be happy with third really and I am looking forward to the next stages and getting that win.”

Rohan Dennis: (BMC) “The stage was nervous from the start to the finish. Not one part of the race was relaxed where you felt like you could sit back in the peloton with no risk. I was hoping that Daniel Oss could take the jersey at the end of the stage so every now and then I tried to help him move up in the final 15km. In the end, the time bonus was taken by Quickstep Floors and we couldn’t do much about losing the jersey. Time loss isn’t a massive issue for me, it was more of a pride thing or not just sitting up and being lazy. I’m motivated to try and get a result in Andorra but the legs have to agree with what my head wants. It’s a tough stage and will be interesting how the GC guys ride it.”

Daniel Oss: (BMC) “It was pretty strange. We were expecting this kind of nervous stage with lots of stress in the bunch. There was no breakaway and it was really hard in the final to make a good move. The team worked the whole stage and we stayed in the front which takes a lot of energy. Personally, I was focused on the red jersey. We were just a few guys in a short time. Quickstep did a good race in the final as I was alone and they put us in the box. As soon as they had the gap, the only thing we could do was to try and bring them back and get some bonus seconds for third place. I couldn’t have done anything better than what I did so I’m happy.”

Nicolas Roche: (BMC) “I knew something was going to happen today but I was surprised by the gaps as I didn’t think there would be any. Today was a bit disappointing. I rode very well the whole day and then just coming into the sprint, I was in 30 or 40th position and got caught out. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s stage. I’ve done almost all of the climbs before and they’re very hard. Andorra is always typically the stage everybody looks forward to and that everybody is a bit worried about. Sometimes it’s easier for GC guys to manage uphill finishes, whereas finishes at the bottom are a bit more of a cat and mouse game. With the technical descents, it’s a bit more tactical too and not just about the legs.”

Edward Theuns (Trek Segafredo) “Last week Lampaert did the same in the BinkBank Tour, and I took the victory, and this time when I saw him going I thought maybe we can have the same result,” said Theuns laughing. “But yeah, Quick-Step was really good in the finale, they pulled in the crosswind with three guys and a gap opened. I think I was the only one who could close the gap, but I was still in the wind for the last two kilometers, and then the attack went from Lampaert, and his teammate let the gap open.

“The last 800 meters were technical with a roundabout at 400 to go. There was not much you could do. In the end, I had to lose a lot of power in the last 2-3kms just to be where I was; it was not easy to save any energy. I am a little disappointed because I feel really good and the opportunity for the sprinters are not a lot here in the Vuelta.”

Alberto Contador: “Today the goal was to avoid any big time loss and avoid crashes, which there was a lot as I heard on the radio. At the end, there was quite a bit of tension. On TV, perhaps it seemed like a quieter stage, but if there were no breakaways it was because of the high speed in the peloton,” said Contador, who was happy to make it safely through the stressful stage.

Crosswinds – “It was a good time to try to break the race. I don’t know what happened behind, but I am sure that the peloton was stretched, although I don’t know if it was broken, but it was really fast,” added Contador. “Monday we start the climbs. It’s a bit difficult to know how your body will answer after so long time without competition, but I hope it will all go well,” he added.

Sacha Modolo (UAE): It was an extremely nerve wracking stage that was made harder with high speeds throughout and windy weather conditions. I managed to get into a good position and choose the right timing to start my sprint, though I have to be honest, my legs felt quite heavy today and not in their best condition. Seeing as that was the case, fifth place is pretty good.”

Chris Froome: “I think the guys did a great job riding up front all day, I think we were probably a little bit short coming into the final few kilometre, but I’m still happy with that result as I think we did a great ride. The guys kept myself and Wout right up front pretty much the whole stage so we can’t complain about that.”

He added: “There were a few seconds lost to Vincenzo Nibali and Esteban Chaves, but some gained also on Contador and some of the other GC guys so I think we can be happy with that with the mountains tomorrow.”

Esteban Chaves: “Today was a really crazy stage,” Chaves said. “No breakaway, all day full stress, really fast average speed and a crazy final. But I am lucky, I have big guys like Svein Tuft, Chris Juul-Jensen and Sam Bewley to protect me from the wind and I had good sensations.”

Stage three takes riders to the Pyrenees, for what could be a very tough 158.5km in the saddle. A category one climb within the opening 32km is followed by over 60km of decent as riders approach the Catalan town of La Seu d’Urgell. As the Vuelta hits Andorra, there is a steep category one climb to contend with before a sprint and category two climb test the legs of the riders, with just 7km to go.

Stage 2
1. Yves Lampaert Quick-Step Floors
2. Matteo Trentin Quick-Step Floors
3. Adam Blythe Aqua Blue Sport
4. Edward Theuns Trek – Segafredo
5. Sacha Modolo UAE Team Emirates
6. Michael Schwarzmann BORA – hansgrohe
7. Tom Van Asbroeck Cannondale-Drapac
8. Daniel Oss BMC Racing Team
9. Patrick Konrad BORA – hansgrohe
10. Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team

16. Chris Froome Team Sky
19. Fabio Aru Astana Pro Team
29. Adam Yates ORICA-Scott
48. Romain Bardet AG2R La Mondiale
70. Simon Yates ORICA-Scott
121. Ian Stannard Team Sky
168. Conor Dunne Aqua Blue Sport 1.58

Overall
1. Yves Lampaert Quick-Step Floors204:52:07
2. Matteo Trentin Quick-Step Floors 0:01
3. Daniel Oss BMC Racing Team 0:03
4. Tejay van Garderen BMC Racing Team 0:17
5. Nicolas Roche BMC Racing Team
6. Rohan Dennis BMC Racing Team
7. Julian Alaphilippe Quick-Step Floors 0:18
8. Wilco Kelderman Team Sunweb
9. Chris Froome Team Sky 0:21
10. Wout Poels Team Sky

19. Adam Yates ORICA-Scott 0:29
22. Simon Yates ORICA-Scott 0.34

AlpsCyclesMidstory

 

Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

Cero

Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)

Other News on VeloUK

Tags: ,