Rafferty still in contention after changes at Valle d'Aosta-Mont Blanc | Video

Darren Rafferty slipped a few placings today at Valle d'Aosta but remains firmly in contention

Irish rider Darren Rafferty remains in contention at the five-day U23 stage race, Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta-Mont Blanc (2.2U), after today's second stage when the general classification was re-ordered. One of the big casualties of today's 124.5km stage, starting and finishing in Saint Christophe, was the yellow jersey, Mason Hollyman.

The British rider, who races for Israel Cycling Academy, was in the winning breakaway yesterday and, with Ireland's Rafferty (Hagens Berman Axeon), pulled clear of the other riders in the escape. Hollyman went on to distance Rafferty on the final climb and won the stage by over a minute solo.

However, on today's hilly finale Hollyman lost five minutes and tumbled down to 20th overall. Rafferty, who was 3rd on yesterday's stage, fell five places to 8th overall today. However, he limited his losses very well - brought about after his exertions of yesterday.

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Rafferty is now 1:13 behind new race leader Lenny Martinez (Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ), the only rider not in the breakaway yesterday who managed to catch, and pass, Rafferty on the run in to the finish on stage 1.

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Today, a large breakaway group of almost 20 riders went up the road and when the peloton reached the final 50km for three climbs - including the Jeanceyaz (6.2 km at 8 per cent) and the Grand Brissogne (3.7 km at 8.4 per cent) - the attacks began in pursuit of the escape group.

As riders went forward from the peloton, and some of the breakaway men came backwards, the front of the race blew. Rafferty lost contact with those riders going forward from the peloton, though he got into a small chase group.

The stage was won by Italian U23 road race champion Lorenzo Germani (Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ), from the breakaway. He finished 27 seconds up on Karel Vacek (Tirol KTM Cycling Team), with Marco Frigo (Israel Cycling Academy) 3rd at 29 seconds.

The new race leader, and yesterday's runner-up, Martinez was one of the riders to get across to the breakaway in the finale. He eventually finished 7th at 1:20. Rafferty came over the line at the front of a nine-man group at 2:14.

Tomorrow's stage 3 takes the riders 138.8km starting and finishing in Aosta with four categorised climbs before a succession of three smaller inclines, one after the other, which come just before the finish.

Stage 2 | Saint Christophe

  1. GERMANI Lorenzo Groupama-FDJ Conti 03:13:12
  2. VACEK Karel Tirol KTM Cycling Team + 27
  3. FRIGO Marco Israel Cycling Academy + 29
  4. PICKERING Finlay Groupama-FDJ Conti + 35
  5. REES Oliver Trinity Racing + 58
  6. RACCANI Simone Italy + 01:20
  7. MARTINEZ Lenny Groupama-FDJ Conti + 01:20
  8. CIUCCARELLI Riccardo Italy + 01:20
  9. BERHE Welay EF Education-NIPPO Development Team + 01:22
  10. THOMPSON Reuben Groupama-FDJ Conti + 01:22
  11. ZERAI Nahom Team Qhubeka + 01:22
  12. PORTER Rudy Trinity Racing + 01:22
  13. PINZON Edgar Andres Colombia Tierra de Atletas GW Shimano + 01:30
  14. PELLIZZARI Giulio Bardiani CSF Faizanè + 01:32
  15. VERSTRYNGE Emiel Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team + 01:48
  16. DE CASSAN Davide Cycling Team Friuli ASD + 01:48
  17. TOLIO Alex Bardiani CSF Faizanè + 02:00
  18. STOCKWELL Oliver Cycling Team Friuli ASD + 02:13
  19. DOMINGUEZ David EOLO-KOMETA U23 + 02:13
  20. RAFFERTY Darren Hagens Berman Axeon + 02:14
  21. ROMEO Ivan Hagens Berman Axeon + 02:14
  22. JUEL SKIVILD Robin Uno-X DARE Development Team + 02:14
  23. CASALLAS Yeisson Colombia Tierra de Atletas GW Shimano + 02:14
  24. TERCERO Fernando EOLO-KOMETA U23 + 02:14
  25. POOLE Max Development Team DSM + 02:14

General Classification

  1. MARTINEZ Lenny Groupama-FDJ Conti 05:29:21
  2. THOMPSON Reuben Groupama-FDJ Conti + 25
  3. RACCANI Simone Italy + 29
  4. PICKERING Finlay Groupama-FDJ Conti + 30
  5. BERHE Welay EF Education-NIPPO Development Team + 31
  6. PORTER Rudy Trinity Racing + 33
  7. FRIGO Marco Israel Cycling Academy + 50
  8. RAFFERTY Darren Hagens Berman Axeon + 01:13
  9. CIUCCARELLI Riccardo Italy + 01:14
  10. VACEK Karel Tirol KTM Cycling Team + 01:29
  11. REES Oliver Trinity Racing + 01:40
  12. ZERAI Nahom Team Qhubeka + 01:43
  13. TOLIO Alex Bardiani CSF Faizanè + 01:55
  14. DE CASSAN Davide Cycling Team Friuli ASD + 02:09
  15. PINZON Edgar Andres Colombia Tierra de Atletas GW Shimano + 02:12
  16. STOCKWELL Oliver Cycling Team Friuli ASD + 02:25
  17. TERCERO Fernando EOLO-KOMETA U23 + 02:35
  18. POOLE Max Development Team DSM + 02:35
  19. CASTRILLO Pablo Lizarte + 02:39
  20. HOLLYMAN Mason Israel Cycling Academy + 02:51
  21. CASALLAS Yeisson Colombia Tierra de Atletas GW Shimano + 02:56
  22. KULSET Magnus Uno-X DARE Development Team + 03:01
  23. VERSTRYNGE Emiel Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team + 03:42
  24. PELLIZZARI Giulio Bardiani CSF Faizanè + 03:43
  25. FERNANDEZ Sinuhé Lizarte + 04:24

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