Stage 2 of the race is pretty similar to stage 1, 161k finishing with a big climb. This time it is the Kitzbüheler Horn, shorter than yesterday at 12k but a lot steeper with an average of 9.8%, HC points at the finish this time. A lot easier build up today though, with just two short climbs, a Cat 3 and a Cat 4. Also, two sprint points.
The favorites are the same as yesterday with Stage 1 surprise package, Lunke, further down the favorites list. We will see if patience and team support pay off for him again.
First 13 riders get away today, then Newton comes to the front en masse and shuts down a few others. 13 out front are in 3 groups, first 6 are have 15 seconds on another 6 with Ryan another 18 seconds back. Not good for him that he is expending a lot of energy chasing alone. We will recap the names when they come together.
125k to ride, doesn’t look like Ryan is going to make it, he is 1’45 down, peloton at 3’03. Ryan has given the other two Glanbia riders in the break an excuse to sit on. In the break are: Van der Haar Paulus, Todome Egger Boswell, Yon Hin Smit Beltran, Duchesne, Yates Breen Tulett
Beltran is still a good climber and he has two teammates with him.
Egger outsprints Smit and Van der Haar at the first sprint point.
At the Cat 3 Smit goes early and holds off Van der Haar and Egger. Peloton at 5’10, 94k to ride. Egger is 6th in the KOM on 10 points.
Egger comes up just short at the Cat 4 as Boswell gets him on the line. Beltran 3rd. Three more points puts Egger in 3rd on the KOM but assuming the points at he the finish go to the GC he will drop back down those rankings. Right now the break has 6’06 with 88k to ride. Yon Hin is dropped on the climb and takes a while to rejoin.
The lead peaks at 7’45, by the time they reach the second sprint, with 54k to go, Newton has it down to 7’15. Van der Haar wins the sprint ahead of Smit and Egger. Smit up to 20 points which ties him for 2nd in that competition but again the GC riders will likely strike back at the finish.
As the peloton hits the bottom of the Kitzbüheler Horn, Zain-Omantel have just gone to the front. Newton having done all the chasing up to then. No riders have been dropped. Smit and Van der Haar attacked the break at the beginning of the climb, they have 29 seconds on the other 10 and 5’07 on the peloton.
Penasa is feeling frisky, he attacks with over 11k still to climb.
Munoz goes across to Penasa, Mengoulas leads the chase. Up front Van der Haar has been dropped by Smit and is back with the other breakaway riders. Yon Hin and Breen have been dropped from that group.
9.5k to climb for the peloton. Arensman takes over the chasing, the two attackers have just 22 seconds. Smit has been caught by the rest of the break they have 4’30 on Penasa and Munoz.
Bennett counters and quickly bridges up to the front two. Jorgenson briefly followed him but then decided against it. Iturria leading the chase. Smit, Boswell and Egger have gone clear at the front of the race.
Spark’s carefully planned breakaway strategy hits a huge snag as Beltran flats and loses contact with the rest of the break.
Arensman comes back to the front and grinds away after the attackers. They still only have 27 seconds with 8k to go. Boswell has gone solo at the front.
5k banner for Boswell, Egger briefly caught him but has dropped back again and is 31 seconds down. Smit at 1’07, the other 7 from the original break at 1’31, Beltran is back in that group but it may be too late. The three attackers at 4’04 and the Arensman-led peloton at 4’28. Still about 70 riders scored as in the peloton but it is very stretched.
Soon after Figueiredo goes to the front of the peloton to help Arensman. While Duchesne, Tullet and Paulus are dropped from the breakaway chase group.
Under the 5k banner Munoz launches an attack, the other two follow him and the lead over the peloton is extended to 34 seconds. Jorgenson and Carapaz look comfortable sitting 2nd and 3rd wheel.
Up front Beltran, Todome, Van der Haar and Yates catch Smit but are still 1’21 down on Boswell.
3.5k to go for Boswell. Behind Beltran has attacked and caught Egger but Boswell has 48 seconds on that duo. He has 3’19 on the GC attackers who have 26 seconds on the peloton.
Outstanding ride by Beltran, in just 1k he closes up to Boswell. Egger at 1’08. The attackers at 2’43, peloton now 43 seconds behind them as Figueiredo has cracked after a heroic turn and nobody has replaced him.
Carapaz takes up the chase, peloton still officially at 58 riders but it looks like an elite group could split off at any moment.
With just over 2k to climb Carapaz drags a GC group including Jorgenson back to the 3 attackers. Of the riders who finished within 35 seconds yesterday, Vanhoucke and Verschaeve are scrambling to close a small gap and Petelin, Garby, Ablenado, and Ulysbayev are further back. The rest are in the Yellow Jersey group.
1.3k to go Boswell can no longer hold Beltran’s wheel. But the Yellow Jersey can be seen just around the hairpin, the gap on the clock is 1’47.
1k banner, Beltran still has enough left to stand on the pedals. Gap is 1’27. Vanhoucke, Verschaeve and Ulysbayev have made it back to the Yellow Jersey group but it is very stretched.
Carapaz pulls an elite group including only the top 6 on GC clear (Jorgenson, Lunke, Bennett, Carapaz, Penasa and Smith). They have caught Egger, does he have anything left to help Smith?
Jorgenson attacks and puts Lunke into trouble. Ahead Beltran has 500 meters to ride and has 50 seconds over Boswell and 1’24 over the Jorgenson group. It is looking good for him.
Beltran wins Stage 2. What a ride by him and Spark to win, despite the puncture. Behind Lunke has been gapped and is 22 seconds down on the other 5.
Jorgenson and Carapaz pull clear of the other three. Egger is still with Smith.
Jorgenson cracks and Carapaz goes by him, he would love to catch Boswell for the extra bonus seconds.
But he can’t close the gap, Boswell takes 2nd, he is having a great season. Carapaz takes 3rd a few bonus seconds and enough KOM points to hold that jersey. An all aging-star podium. Jorgenson is 4th on the same time as Carapaz.
Bennett, Penasa, Smith and Egger are in the next group, 29 seconds down. Then Lunke loses another 26 seconds.
Munoz is next ahead of a group including Kozhatayev (8th on GC at the start of the day). Vanhoucke (10th) and Verschaeve (7th) lose more time. Munoz loses 1’07 on Carapaz, the Kozhatayev group loses 1’19.
Jorgenson holds the GC lead by 21 seconds over Carapaz, Bennett on 50 seconds, moves on to the podium. Lunk down to 4th on 1’12. Raileanu and Petelin move into the top 10 at the expense of Vanhoucke and Verschaeve. Beltran’s adventure moves him up to 13th.
Jorgenson holds on to the points and u25 lead, Babymetal the team lead by 2’03 over Ethiopian Airlines.
Int. Österreich Rundfahrt 
