2017 Giro d'Italia Stage 2 Results & Recap
Stage 2 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Greipel wins stage 2 in Tortoli\nBy Clara Beard
André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) found redemption after yesterday’s chaotic finish snafu, sprinting to victory ahead of Roberto Ferrari (UAE Team Emirates) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek – Segafredo) in the closing meters of a 221-kilometer stage from Olbia to Tortoli.
The German “Gorilla’s” victory put him into the pink jersey, the first time he's worn the Maglia Rosa in his career. Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora – Hansgrohe) was bumped to second place, four seconds back. Australian Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) is third place, eight seconds down on GC.
The sleepy stage saw Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data), Lukasz Owsian (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Simone Andreetta (Bardiani-CSF), Evgeniy Shalunov (Gazprom-Rusvelo) and Ilia Koshevoy (Wilier-Selle Italia) attack at kilometer 13 and immediately the peloton let them go.
The break was allowed a six minute leash at around 25 kilometers into the stage, but was quickly reigned back to four minutes by Bora by the time the six riders reached the first sprint of the day in Budduso.
Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data) attacked the leader to get the points in a bid to creep closer to the top of the sprint competition. It was also Teklehaimanot’s goal to steal the kom jersey from Benedetti shoulders, but when the break reached the first kom in Nuoro, Andreetta cleared the summit first. Teklehaimanot managed third, which bumped him up to second in KOM classification.
The race trundled along at an astonishing pace of just 31 kph, leaving the leaders with a fluctuating advantage of 3 to 4 minutes. However the gap began to fall on the last categorized climb, and the pressure was on for Teklehaimanot to grab the kom lead.
With the main bunch breathing down the leaders’ necks, desperate attacks began to shoot off the front to keep their advantage over the top of the climb. The pace popped Andreetta, while Teklehaimanot dug deep to clinch max points and the kom points.
Over the top of the climb, the field came back together and the dynamic reset to prepare for the closing kilometers. GC teams like Movistar and Bahrain Merida came to the front to ensure their leaders, Quintana and Nibali, were safe.
The final 10 km were flat and fast. Greipel’s team charged to the front and battled Orica-Scott for position. Ewan was in the running to challenge Greipel for the win, but suffered a mechanical at the worst possible moment allowing Greipel to post up unchallenged. \n
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