Tour of the Basque Country 2019: Punchy win Alaphilippe, Schachmann retains lead

Five Strade Bianche-like 'sterrato' shake up the 2nd stage of the Tour of the Basque Country. Adam Yates suffers time loss, while Alaphilippe sprints to victory on the steep run-in to the line. Schachmann remains leader. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2nd stage Tour of the Basque Country 2019

1. Julian Alaphilippe (fra)
2. Bjorg Lambrecht (bel) + 0.01
3. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) s.t.
4. Omar Fraile (spa) s.t.
5. Valentin Madouas (fra) s.t.
6. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) s.t.
7. Patrick Konrad (aut) s.t.
8. Ion Izagirre (spa) s.t.
9. Tadej Pogacar (slo) s.t.
10. Pieter Serry (bel) s.t.

22. Mike Landa (spa) + 0.09
23. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
51. Adam Yates (gbr) + 1.12

GC after stage 2
1. Maximilian Schachmann (ger)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.05
3. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 0.10
4. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col) + 0.13
5. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.23
6. Patrick Konrad (aut) s.t.
7. Enric Mas (spa) + 0.28
8. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.36
9. Daniel Martin (irl) + 0.39
10. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 0.41

11. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.42
12. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
20. Mikel Landa (spa) 1.02

Race report
Dennis and Herrada jump clear at kilometre 5, while five riders bridge across. But it all comes together after 11.5 kilometres before Bernard, Bravo and Atapuma go on the counter-attack. Amezqueta tracks them down and the four carve out a gap of 3 minutes before the peloton takes them on a leash.

Just before tackling three unpaved roads in rapid succession – with 52 kilometres to go – the breakaway is reeled in. Astana sets the pace on the sterrato and the peloton splits, but no GC rider missed the move. Leader Schachmann pockets a time bonus of 3 seconds in an ensuing intermediate sprint. Lutsenko takes 2. Ion Izagirre wins the following intermediate sprint with Schachmann third.

Adam Yates punctures on the last dirt road with some 15 kilometres remaining. He chases in vain as the gap only widens.

Bjorg Lambrecht opens up the sprint from far out, virtually at the bottom of the 600 metres climb to the line. Alaphilippe is in complete control though. The French powerhouse overhauls the young Belgian inside the last 200 metres to add yet another win to his glittering 2019 palmares. Lambrecht takes second, Kwiatkowski third.

Schachmann is still the leader on the ‘Itzulia Basque Country’ with Kwiatkowski now in second and Alaphilippe in third.

Another interesting read: route 2nd stage Tour of the Basque Country 2019.