Cycling: After already the second stage of the Ruta del Sol went to Team Sky, the British team can also be happy in Portugal. At the Volta ao Algarve, the team dominated the entire race. In the end, Michal Kwiatkowski won the stage ahead of Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and his teammate Geraint Thomas, who now leads the overall standings.
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Degenkolb and Pöstlberger escape
After we yesterday on the first stage of the Volta ao Algarve could see a mass sprint, we went into the mountains today. The 187,9 kilometer undulating profile with a total of five mountain classifications should end with the Alto da Fóia. The final ascent has an average gradient of 5,1 percent and is 15,4 kilometers long. Due to its length, it is of course classified in the first category and, as expected, should have a major impact on the overall ranking. That Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) would lose his jersey today, of course he knew it before the start. Last year won at Alto da Fóia daniel martin, 1999 was Andreas Kloden victorious. Another German victory was unlikely in 2018, although John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) wanted to try an escape today. The Austrian was also in the breakaway group of seven Lukas Postlberger (Bora-hansgrohe).
Kiryienka opens the fight for the day's victory
Although the leading group was relatively large and harmonized splendidly, they didn't have a realistic chance. With around 20 kilometers to go, their lead was just over a minute. Even before the start of the long final climb, the group fell apart. The Austrian Lukas Postlberger could get along with the Americans Benjamin King (Dimension Data). In the peloton, teams Sky, Trek-Segafredo and BMC took command. After the last escapees had been caught, the locomotive broke away Vasil Kiryienka (Sky). Even though his lead quickly grew to a few hundred meters, the Belarusian was caught again by a larger group with two kilometers to go.
#Kwiatkowski nella 2° tappa della # VAlgarve2018 # VAlgarve18 pic.twitter.com/LniV9h0rrC
- CyclingTime (@Cyclingtimenews) 15. February 2018
Sky dominates: Kwiatkowski gets the stage, Thomas gets the jersey
Around 20 men walked the last 1.000 meters together. Once again, Team Sky kept the pace so high that no one could get away. The final sprint then pulled Geraint Thomas for Michael Kwiatkowski at. The Pole won easily. Geraint Thomas was behind Build Mollema third party Geraint Thomas now leads the overall ranking at the same time Jaime Roson (Movistar) and Michal Kwiatkowski. The British team had everything under control on today's stage. With Kiryienka you played the first trump card, then you dominated the sprint for the day's victory with two men. Tomorrow a 20,3 kilometer time trial will be held in Lagoa and will influence the overall standings. As is well known, the Sky pilots are not the worst in this discipline either...
TOP 10# VAlgarve2018 @VAlgarve2018 em Bicicleta (2.HC) Stage 2 » Sagres › Fóia (Monchique) (187.9k)https://t.co/eAeXeBUY2b pic.twitter.com/ARYSh20MtA
— ProCyclingStats.com (@ProCyclingStats) February 15, 2018
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