Tour de Pologne (st. 2)

Ecuadorian & Blue team-mates continue inside main group of GC favourites at eastern Europe's main stagerace; Ackermann (BOH) unbeatable in Katowice.

It was a crazy fast sprint – one which competitors are already used to in Katowic – to end racing on stage two of the 2018 Tour de Pologne (144km from Tarnowskie Góry). Under slightly easier temperatures from the previous day, yet with a fast pace in pursuit of the early break – featuring Gradek (CCC), Shalunov (GAZ) and Stachowiak (POL) -, Pascal Ackermann’s Bora-Hansgrohe squad made sure the group finished with a bunch kick, where the German champino was again the strongest to retain his yellow jersey.

#TDP2018 Dos de dos para Pascal Ackermann (BOH), vencedor en la habitual llegada en ligero descenso de Katowice. Hodeg (QST), 2º; Nizzolo (TFS), 3º.

Muy atento de nuevo @RichardCarapazM para evitar los cortes (27º, m.t). Mañana lunes, último final claro para sprinters en Zabrze. pic.twitter.com/hTLIR4PbNL

— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) August 5, 2018

Another fairly nervous ‘transition day’ for Richard Carapaz and the Movistar Team brought no consequences, its seven riders – including a very attentive ‘Richie’ in 27th spot – inside an almost complete main group. The squad directed by José Luis Jaimerena and Pablo Lastras will have to get through another flat stage -day three, just 139km, between Chorzów and Zabrze- before taking on the crucial mid mountains in the Polish stagerace, which start on Tuesday.