Stage 2: AYMAVILLES / VALSAVARENCHE
The first mass start stage on the Aosta Valley soil has been the Aymavilles – Pont di Valsavarenche, 138 km with 3 KOMs and other small but steep climbs. After yesterday’s “heartquake”, the favourites had to shake up the general classification and their intentions were indeed clear since the beginning. After a blistering start with no favor to the breakaways some top riders try to make the difference. The deciding move, however, comes 50km after the start thanks to Buitrago (Team Cinelli) and Lavric (Dimension Data For Qhubeka), soon joined by Scaroni (Groupama FDJ), Bellicaud (Bourgogne Franche Comté) and others. The race explodes during the KOM of Doues and Inkelaar (Groupama FDJ), Oldani (Kometa Cycling Team), Monaco (Casillo Maserati) and Conca (Biesse Carrera) start the hunt for the head of the race. Some kms after, during the KOM of Verrogne, the leaders are joined by some big names such as Rubio (Cucine Aran Vejus) and Sanchez Lopez (Kometa Cycling Team). The stage classification starts to grow up after the gravel road of Chevrère: Inkelaar attacks and manages to make the difference. He stands out on the finish line of Pont showing his intentions for the following stages. Secong place goes to Stefano Oldani (Kometa Cycling Team), followed by Heilemichael Mulu Kimfe (Dimensio Data For Qhubeka) and Filippo Conca (Biesse Carrera), all accusing a 2’44’’ time gap. The yellow jersey Schelling (SEG Racing Academy) loses a lot of time. News for the GC with Jérémy Bellicaud (Bourgogne Franche-Comté) that takes the lead with 1’01’’ on Mauri Vansevenant (EFC L&R Vulsteke) and Adam Hartley (Seg Racing Academy), 2’20’’ after him. Inkelaar, Oldani and Conca are now back in the top10. The german Schelling keeps the KOM jersey and the point classification jersey, Simon Guglielmi (Groupama FDJ) is always the leader of the sprint cash jersey.
Stage ClassificationKm. 137,600 - average 33,057 km/h | Overall ClassificationKm. 266,300 - average 33,288 km/h | |||||||
| 1. | INKELAAR Kevin ECC GROUPAMA FDJ | 04:09:45" | 1. | BELLICAUD Jérémy BOURGOGNE / FRANCHE-COMTÉ | 08:00:00" | |||
| 2. | OLDANI Stefano KOMETA CYCLING TEAM | a | 02'44" | 2. | VANSEVENANT Mauri EFC – L&R - VULSTEKE | a | 01'01" | |
| 3. | HAILEMICHAEL Mulu Kimfe DIMENSION DATA FOR QHUBEKA CON | a | 02'44" | 3. | HARTLEY Adam SEG RACING ACCADEMY | a | 02'20" | |
| 4. | CONCA Filippo TEAM BIESSE CARRERA | a | 02'45" | 4. | SCHELLING Ide SEG RACING ACCADEMY | a | 06'00" | |
| 5. | LÓPEZ PEREZ Juan Pedro KOMETA CYCLING TEAM | a | 03'41" | 5. | CHEVALIER Maxime VÉLO CLUB PAYS DE LOUDÉAC | a | 06'42" | |
| 6. | BELLICAUD Jérémy BOURGOGNE / FRANCHE-COMTÉ | a | 03'43" | 6. | PALLESEN Jeppe Aaskov DENMARK NATIONAL TEAM | a | 09'12" | |
| 7. | CARR Simon AMICAL VÉLO CLUB AIXOIS | a | 04'08" | 7. | INKELAAR Kevin ECC GROUPAMA FDJ | a | 10'19" | |
| 8. | BUITRAGO SANCHEZ Santiago TEAM CINELLI | a | 04'18" | 8. | LEYMAN Celestin EFC – L&R - VULSTEKE | a | 12'21" | |
| 9. | VEROUGSTRAETE Nicolas GM RECYCLING TEAM | a | 06'29" | 9. | OLDANI Stefano KOMETA CYCLING TEAM | a | 12'57" | |
| 10. | LAVRIČ Martin DIMENSION DATA FOR QHUBEKA CON | a | 06'29" | 10. | CONCA Filippo TEAM BIESSE CARRERA | a | 13'03" | |
The stage in videos
The stage in pictures
Technical Info
Stage 2: AYMAVILLES / VALSAVARENCHE | km. 137.6 |
The first real stage on the roads of Aosta Valley is 138 km long with three KOM’s, the start line is in Aymavilles and the finish line in Valsavarenche. The course is suitable to the breakaway, even if the gc leaders have to be careful. After the first part which is flat and easy from Chambave to Aosta, the riders will climb towards Doues and the Gran San Bernardo Valley and then to the scenic road called Strada dei Salassi, with no steep sections until the GPM of Verrogne. Then down to Villeneuve where the hard climb of Champlong begins (5km at more than 10%). There the strada bianca of Chevrère will characterize the stage. At the end there are 17 km of uphill until 1960 meters a.s.l. of Pont di Valsavarenche.
Tourist Info
Departure
Aymavilles is located at the start of the Cogne valley, in a slightly raised location compared to the central valley, at 646 metres above sea level in a green valley set among vineyards and orchards. This favourable location has enabled a flourishing wine business, with its production masterpiece being “Torrette” red wine.
Read more : www.lovevda.it
Arrival
Among the sloping woodland, with its majestic Gran Paradiso massif (4,061 m) the only “4,000” peak in all of Italy, offering a natural amphitheatre that dominates and characterises the landscape, this narrow, 24 kilometre long valley is a real paradise for lovers of nature and everything that is still authentic, wild and people-friendly.
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