Jamie Meehan comes through hectic final in Hungary with eyes on GC

Jamie Meehan's Cofidis team really tested the waters in Hungary today as it split the main field in the crosswinds (Photo: Xavier Pereyron)

Jamie Meehan (Cofidis) made the front echelon on stage 2 of Tour of Hungary (2.Pro) today, Thursday, after his team went to the front with 25km to go and split the field to pieces in the crosswinds.

Though there was a regrouping after the moments of maximum pressure, not everybody made it back. However, Meehan came through the stage in that reduced bunch.

He was among 60 riders in the group and has kept his general classification hopes very much intact, with his eye on Saturday's penultimate stage.

A series of late climbs there is expect to decide the general classification, though Sunday's final stage also has some potential to split things. And Meehan is definitely in contention for a GC result.

Today's stage was won by Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who took advantage of the fact the road rose to the line for the last 500m. The Frenchman launched a blistering attack immediately the incline kicked in and opened a gap.

After gaining a few seconds, he had the legs to keep it going all the way to the line. He won the 206km stage into Paks – the longest of the race - by two seconds from Meehan's team mate Alexis Renard, with Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team) 3rd.

Meehan was tucked into the 60-rider bunch, in 27th place; doing what he had to on a day when his team showed it is one of the strongest in the race.

Cosnefroy has now moved into the race lead, thanks to his two-second time gain today and his 10-second win bonus, with Meehan 41st at 16 seconds.

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The new race leader is a general classification threat, with others who should be in the reckoning also making the reduce bunch today.

They include: Luke Plapp and Paul Double, both Team Jayco AlUla, as well as Jakob Omrzel (Bahrain-Victorious) and Junior Lecerf (Soudal Quick-Step) .

However, Tour de Hongrie is a race where many major teams try out their promising up-and-comers and it tends to throw up breakthrough performances.

But this is a field not stacked with general classification stars and, given his very solid performances in stage races over the past 12 months, it represents a chance for Meehan.

The race continues tomorrow, Friday, with the 152km stage 3, from Kaposvár to Szekszárd, over flat terrain that can suit the sprinters, if a breakaway does not scupper their chances.

It will be a day for Meehan to mind himself and simply get through without any time lost, before the big show on Saturday.