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After the amazing kick-off characterized by Adam Yates’ victory, stage 2 (208,9 km from Vitoria Gasteiz-San Sebastian) was a good one too for UAE Team Emirates: the British rider kept the yellow jersey, while Tadej Pogačar was 3rd and he has climbed to the 2nd place of the general classification (+6” to his mate).
The heat of the race was on the iconic climb of the Jaizkibel, which summits at 15,5 km to the arrival. Back in the peloton it reduced to no more than 30 riders by the pace of UAE Team Emirates, Jumbo-Visma and Jayco-Alula, after the last attacker of the day, Neilson Powless (EF-EasyPost), had been caught, there was a battle for the seconds of bonus at the top of the Kom won by Tadej Pogačar, followed by Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).
In the first part of the downhill to the arrival, the duo had a small advantage on the rest of the group, then it was Pello Bilbao’s turn (Bahrain-Victorious) to attack, but Jumbo-Visma and Wout Van Aert seemed to control the race until Victor Lafay (Cofidis) made the winning solo attack at -1,1 km.
In the sprint for the other places on the podium, Van Aert preceded Pogačar.
Adam Yates is still the leader of the race with 6” on Pogačar (2nd) and on Simon Yates (Jayco-Alula, 3rd).
Yates: “It was a good day.We controlled pretty much all day with no one to help us, which wasn’t a surprise.
The final got a little bit messy. We tried to set Tadej up for the bonus seconds. Then I found it pretty difficult to do a lead out on a pan-flat stage as a 58kg rider. I stayed behind him to block riders from behind on his wheel, and that was it. A good day.”
Stage 3 will start from Amorebieta-Etxano and over 194 km it will bring the peloton to France, where the race will finish in Bayonne.
Stage 2 results
1. Victor Lafay (Cofidis) 4h46’39”
2. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) s.t.
3. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) s.t.
General classification after stage 3
1. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) 9h09’18”
2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) +6”
3. Simon Yates (Jayco-Alula) s.t.
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