Vuelta a España (st. 2) / Cyclassics Hamburg
Movistar Team get through dangerous race against the win towards Gruissan in one piece and well placed, as Arcas tries to recover from injuries in eve of first mountains in Andorra, Monday
Belgian Yves Lampaert (QST) profited from a late, big push by his team-mates to win stage two of the 2017 Vuelta a España, 203km from Nîmes to Gruissan in southern France, with a solo move into the final two kilometers.
With no real breakaways because of the high speeds at several parts of the stage, the winds forced all favourites, as well as the whole Movistar Team, to keep full focus all day against the crosswinds. Jorge Arcas was able to get through a difficult day for him, struggling after the blows suffered in his crash at Saturday's team time trial.
The final splits did not impair the GC chances of the squad directed by Pablo Lastras and Chente García Acosta. Betancur (25th in the stage) and Rubén Fernández made it inside the first group of favourites, 8" behind the winner, while Carapaz, Rojas, Moreno, Oliveira and Soler finished just 13" down.
All in all, the situation remains fine for the telephone squad before reaching their home terrain, the mountains, on Monday. The Vuelta will get to Andorra after a tough 159km journey, with the Col de la Perche (Cat-1) right from the start plus the climbs of La Rabassa (Cat-1) and La Comella (2ª) just before a fast descent into Andorra la Vella.
Hamburg: Sütterlin once again in the mix
At the 22nd edition of the Cyclassics in Hamburg (220km), Elia Viviani (SKY) took the win in the inevitable mass sprint at the Mönckerbergstrasse, a bunch kick which, among many others, German Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar Team) tried to avoid. His was a big share of the initiative to keep alive a 20-rider group formed after the last of the three Waseberg ascents, a move also made by young sprinter Carlos Barbero. Caught by the main field with 5km remaining, Sütterlin was the top Movistar Team finisher in 24th place.
Results: Vuelta a España | Cyclassics Hamburg