Tour of Britain (st. 2)

German powerhouse from Movistar Team shows excellent condition in grueling slopes of Challacombe Hill, climbs up to 5th overall in #OVOToB.

Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar Team) completed yet another solid ride in a strong summer of stageraces, the Freiburg native riding toe to toe with world-class names in a very hilly stage two of the Tour of Britain, under mild showers in Devon from Cranbrook to Barnstaple (174km).

Seeking for a dangerous, three-man early break featuring Scott Davies (DDD), Alessandro Tonelli (BRD) and Cameron Meyer (MTS), the German rouleur jumped away from the main field at Challacombe Hill (13% avg.), 20km from the end, and joined a strong nine-man pursuit. Despite the huge turns in that group by the likes of Primoz Roglic (TLJ), Julian Alaphilippe, Bob Jungels (QST) or Wout Poels (SKY), they weren’t able to either neutralize stage winner Meyer or avoid Tonelli taking over the race lead.

It was, though, just a matter of two seconds for Sütterlin’s group, the ‘Bull’ finishing in a fine 5th, third in his group behind Bevin (BMC) and Alaphilippe, as José Joaquín Rojas and Rubén Fernández completed the day into a first main peloton, 39″ behind the two leaders. Jasha also now sits in 5th overall (+12″) in a race set to witness several GC changes into an unpredictable course. Tuesday will take the riders into a short, demanding loop (127km) around Bristol, just two days before a crucial TTT.