The second day of Tirreno-Adriatico was a sprint. Jasper Philipsen (Belgium, Alpecin Deceuninck) took advantage of the fast running of Tim Merlile (Belgium, Soudal Quick-Step) to take his first win of the season.
Yukiya Shinshiro (Bahrain Victorious) playing his second match of the season photo: CorVos
The second stage was held on Tuesday, March 5th, one day after the first day of Tirreno-Adriatico, where Visma Liesabike unveiled the new TT helmet. Continuing from the previous day, the course heading south along the Tyrrhenian Sea coast was flat. Although there is a 12km mountain in the middle of the course, the average gradient is 3%, which is not enough to deter sprinters.
For this reason, in the 199km race, where it seemed certain that a group sprint would take place, four riders from an Italian professional team formed a runaway group. The main group chasing them was led by UAE Team Emirates, led by Juan Ayuso (Spain), who achieved a surprise victory the day before, and Ineos, led by former TT World Champion Filippo Ganna (Italy), who lost by one second. The Grenadiers also set the pace at times at the front.
The escape group, made up of Italian professional teams, consists of four people. Photo: CorVos
At one point, the group gained a 5-minute lead, but their lead decreased in proportion to the distance to the finish. Davide Buys (Porti Cometa, Italy) took the lead on the only mountain of the day and won the mountain prize jersey, while Jan Stoeckli (Colatec Vinifantini, Switzerland) took the lead in the intermediate sprint (62.8km remaining). Pass. Stoeckli continued to take the lead alone, but was absorbed by the peloton with Yukiya Shinjo (Bahrain Victorious) leading the pack and leading his teammate with 36km remaining.
After that, ace sprinters such as Alpecin Deceuninck and Soudal Quickstep, as well as Bahrain with Shinshiro in the lead, remained side-by-side as they completed the remaining distance. Meanwhile, with 18km remaining in the sprint, where the speed and tension were gradually increasing, Mark Cavendish (UK, Astana Kazakhstan), one of the favorites for the victory, suffered a puncture. Cavendish, who had high expectations with the likes of Case Boll (Netherlands) and new recruit Mikel Morkov (Denmark), dropped out of the competition.
UAE team Emirates, featuring yesterday’s winner Juan Ayuso (Spain), leads the peloton photo: CorVos
In addition to the small differences in road surface in the city of Follonica, the irregular roundabouts make it difficult for each team to maintain their trains. Under chaotic cloudy skies, Italian champions Simone Velasco (Astana Kazakhstan) and Robert Geesink (Netherlands, Wisma Liesabijk) fell from their cars with 5km remaining, and Christopher Froome (Netherlands) was holding his left wrist. UK, Israel Premier Tech). Although all of them finished, Israel stated that Froome’s condition would be reported in detail after an examination by the team doctor.
With 1km remaining in the lead, Intermarché Wanty entered the lead at the final corner, followed by Alexander Kristof (both Norwegian, Unoex Mobility), accompanied by 23-year-old young sprinter Soren Warensholt. However, Tim Merleer (Belgium, Soudal Quickstep) took the inside position and took the lead on the final straight, starting his sprint with 300m remaining.
Jasper Philipsen (Belgium, Alpecin Deceuninck) overtakes Merlile to take his first win of the season photo: CorVos
While Walensholt was slow to react to this step, Jasper Philipsen (Belgium, Alpecin Deceuninck) got behind Merlile. Merlile, who used his legs to take the lead from the front of the corner, gave up the moment he turned around to see Philipsen, and Philipsen finished in first place.
Philipsen finally achieved his first win in his first race of the season at Omloop Hetnieuwblatt on February 24th. “This winter, I didn’t practice sprinting at all because I know my strong points well, so I practiced to adapt to the classic race,” said Philipsen, who was able to fend off famous pure sprinters and grab him. I was delighted with the victory.
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Deceuninck, Belgium) celebrating his victory on the podium photo: CorVos
2024-03-05 23:55:00
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