Eddie
Dunbar remains in 2nd place overall at La Route
d'Occitanie after today’s second stage.
The Team Ineos man finished in the
bunch, in 19th place, at the end of 187.7km from Labruguière to
Martres-Tolosane.
It
came down to a bunch sprint won by Arnaud Demare. His Groupama-FDJ team had
ridden to bring back the day’s breakaway.
The
French rider was taking just his second victory of the season following his
Giro stage 10 win.
Dunbar’s
team mate, and Tour de Yorkshire overall winner, Chris Lawless took 2nd place.
He may
have pushed Demare closer and perhaps even won had he been a little better
positioned and not come from so far back in the sprint.
It was
the second runner-up spot in two days for Team Ineos. Eddie Dunbar was beaten
by world champion Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) for victory on the opening day.
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Race
leader Valverde also finished in the bunch today, in 14th position.
It means he retains his race lead. He has four seconds in hand over Dunbar due
to time bonuses.
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As
well as being 2nd overall, Dunbar also retained his young rider
classification lead today.
He
appears in fantastic form after his Grand Tour debut at the Giro. And he goes
into the next two days of racing a favourite for a stage win and even overall
victory.
With
two stages remaining Élie Gesbert (Arkéa Samsic) is 3rd,
some eight seconds down on the leader.
Then comes three riders all at 12
seconds filling positions 4th to 6th; Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale),
Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) and Dunbar’s team mate Ivan Sosa.
The 173km third stage tomorrow from
Arreau to Luchon-Hospice de France features a cat 2, cat 3 and three cat 1
climbs, the final one 10.9km at 6.8 per cent to the finish line.
On Sunday the race concludes with a
lumpy 154.8m circuit race littered with short sharp climbs into
Clermont-Pouyguillès; another course that Eddie Dunbar should be suited to.
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