Italian team fills stage podium as young Briton is robbed of the lead on his 21st birthday
Jacopo Guarnieri (Liquigas-Doimo) won the second stage of the Circuit Franco-Belge between Lessines and Poperinge, Belgium in a bunch sprint. The Italian outsprinted his teammates Elia Viviani and Francesco Chicchi to make it a Liquigas-Doimo 1-2-3 at the end of the 189.3km stage.
"I owe my victory to the fantastic work of the team,” said Guarnieri to Sporza after the stage. “This is my first win in Belgium, the cycling country par excellence. My dream is one day to compete for a win in the in the Flemish races."
Just like on the previous day, the stage was dominated by a five-man group, which escaped after 15km. Timmy Duggan (Garmin-Transitions), Roy Curvers (Skil-Shimano), Maxime Mederel (BigMat-Auber 93), Kevin Seeldrayers (Quick Step) and Sep Vanmarcke (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) were allowed to get 4 minutes by the peloton; as yesterday though they were given no chance of reaching the finish and were recaptured with 10km to go.
In the closing kiometres a group of fifteen riders, including race leader and stage 1 winner Adam Blythe (OmegaPharma-Lotto), detached from the front of the peloton. The race all came together for the finish though, and the Liquigas-Doimo trio took the stage.
There were ‘no gifts’ for Blythe, celebrating his 21st birthday, though, as a small split in the peloton on the line saw him lose 2 seconds and Guarnieri took away his race leader’s jersey.
Result stage 2
1. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
2. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
3. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
4. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram
5. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Doimo
6. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step @ 2s
7. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis
8. Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ
9. Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
10. Stijn Neirnynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Standings after stage 2
1. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
2. Adam Blythe (GBr) OmegaPharma-Lotto @ 2s
3. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator @ 3s
4. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil
5. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram @ 4s