The young Belgian Alec Segaert has won the second stage – a time trial – in the Renewi Tour.
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Not Tim Wellens or Yves Lampaert, but another Belgian won the time trial in the Renewi Tour. None other than Alec Segaert was the surprising winner of the 15.4 kilometer long chrono race. The only 21-year-old rider relegated Magnus Sheffield to second place.
Bissegger keeps the seat warm
The rider who sat in the hotseat the longest today was Stefan Bissegger. The Swiss finished in the back of the pack in stage one and was therefore allowed to start early in the time trial in and around Tessenderlo. He kept the seat warm for a long time, until Segaert shaved ten seconds off his final time.
The young Belgian is considered a great talent on the time trial bike and he proved it once again. He completed the course with an average of 54.4 km/h and reached the finish after 16 minutes and 59 seconds.
🚴🇧🇪 | Alec Segeart takes 10 seconds off Bissegger’s best time, so you’re in the running for the day’s win. Does the Belgian really strike? â ±ï¸ 🇧🇪 #RenewiTour
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— Eurosport Netherlands (@Eurosport_NL) August 29, 2024
After his lightning-fast time trial, it was time for other specialists, but no one came close to Segaert. Magnus Sheffield came closest, but the American from INEOS Grenadiers had to give up more than seven seconds at the finish.
Jonathan Milan, who won the eventful opening stage yesterday, rode the time trial last. The Italian also did not match the time of the young Belgian and so Segaert won the second stage in the Renewi Tour. It meant his first victory in a World Tour race, and his first participation in a race of this level.
Segaert confirms his status as a promising time trialist. Earlier this year, he finished second for the second year in a row at the Belgian championship and fifth in the time trial of the Tour of Belgium. That after he became European time trial champion for espoirs in 2023 and came second at the World Championship for espoirs.
Van der Poel loses a lot of time
With a view to the general classification, we were particularly looking forward to Mathieu van der Poel’s performances. The Dutchman is mainly aiming for the final stage next Sunday, but with a good time trial today he could also claim the overall victory.
Van der Poel rode a decent time trial. The leader of Alpecin-Deceuninck finished seventeenth. He had to give up 36 seconds to Segaert, who is also the new leader after today.
As mentioned, Sheffield came in second. Of the contenders for the final victory, he did the best business, although we should not completely discount Segaert himself. After all, he won the Grand Prix Criquielion this spring, an explosive race with a Flemish character.
Tim Wellens also did well. The three-time winner of the Renewi Tour came in fifth, 16 seconds behind Segaert. Ben Turner, Christophe Laporte and Alberto Bettiol also finished in the top ten.
Result and ranking
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Tomorrow the Renewi Tour continues with a flat stage and Saturday also seems to be a day for the sprinters. On Sunday the queen stage to Geraardsbergen is on the program, with three times the Muur and a tough ride through the Flemish Ardennes with among others the Paterberg.
