Team Sky enjoyed a fine win at the Tour de Yorkshire today through Danny van Poppel. The flying Dutchman took his first ever win for the team in a chaotic bunch sprint in Doncaster. Ireland's Nicolas Roche was in the main bunch contesting the sprint and he's just 16 seconds down on race leader Dylan Groenewegen, left, going into the final stage.
By Brian Canty
Ireland’s Nicolas Roche (Team Sky) and Conor Dunne (JLT-Condor Cycles) remain very much in the hunt for top GC finishes in the Tour de Yorkshire after some assured riding by both saw them finish in the main bunch today.
Roche was 50th across the line on a day his teammate Danny van Poppel won the stage while Dunne was 70th for the second day in succession.
Advertisement
They’re both just 16 seconds off the lead going into tomorrow’s concluding stage where a monstrous 198-kilometre journey awaits.
Michael O’Loughlin (Team WIGGINS) lost just over five minutes but is the second youngest rider in the race and he is banking huge experience against the world’s best.
Team Sky’s van Poppel won the stage with a last-ditch lunge to the line, edging current race leader and yesterday’s victor Dylan van Groenwegen (Lotto-NL-Jumbo).
Today’s stage was a relatively short affair and took the riders from Otley to Doncaster over 136 kilometres.
The day was characterised by a six-rider escape that featured Richard Handley (ONE Pro Cycling), Michael Morkov , Gruff Lewis (Madison Genesis), Ed Bradbury (NFTO), Josh Edmondson (NFTO) and Stijn Steels (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise).
They worked hard to get their advantage over a minute around the midway point but there was never a doubt about them eventually being caught as Sky set a strong pace at the front.
Related News
Nicolas Edet clipped off the front of the bunch and joined the break to make it seven up front but that seven would shed three men, with Edmonson, Steels, Morkov and Edet staying out front until around 10 kilometres to go.
The catch was made and that paved the way for the sprint, with van Poppel taking it.
Tomorrow’s final stage takes the riders on a lumpy 198-kilometre journey from Middlesborough to Scarborough where there is expected to be some changes in the order of the general classification.
There are six categorised climbs but the longest isn’t even five kilometres.
However, there are sections that reach over 10% so a savage pace is expected prior to those in a bid to distance the faster men.
If Roche is feeling good he could definitely make a challenge for the stage and the GC but they also have a strong card in defending champion Lars Peter Nordhaug.
Similarly, Dunne won't want to go down without a fight and with his current form, he too can get over the climbs and be in the shake-up.
It should make for a cracking stage.
Stage 2: Otley to Doncaster, 136km
1. Danny van Poppel (Team Sky)
2. Dylan van Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) @s/t
3. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Giant-Alpecin at 6 secs
50. Nicolas Roche (IRL) Team Sky @s/t
70. Conor Dunne (IRL) JLT-Condor Cycles @s/t
131. Michael O’Loughlin (IRL) Team WIGGINS @5’12”
General Classification
1. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
2. Danny van Poppel (Team Sky) @6 secs
3. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Giant-Alpecin @8secs
29. Nicolas Roche (IRL) Team Sky @16”
64. Conor Dunne (IRL) JLT-Condor Cycles @s/t
123. Michael O’Loughlin (IRL) Team WIGGINS @16’12”
Topics
