André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) took his second stage victory, in the second stage of the Tour of Belgium, between Lochristi and Knokke-Heiste, as he beat Danilo Napolitano (Acqua & Sapone) to the line on the second straight day. The German ‘Gorilla’ outsprinted the Italian, despite the stiff, uphill gradient of the closing metres, with Jacopo Guarnieri (Astana) beating Kenny van Hummel (Vacansoleil-DCM) to the line for third.
"I am very happy with my sprint today,” said the big German. “This finish doesn’t lie, only the strongest can win here in Knokke-Heist. I was launched perfectly at 800 metres by Greg [Henderson] onto the wheel of Jacopo Guarnieri. I was able to ride a perfect sprint and I came around at the right time; even if it was more complicated than it seemed.”
Once again, Greipel was thankful to his team, which was instrumental in pulling back a five-man, stage-long break, and delivered him to the finish.
"They were magnificent again today,” he said. “Marcel [Sieberg] punctured twice in the finale but he still helped me in the last kilometres. It's fantastic."
With the team’s sprint train back up to full strength, after the return from injury of Jürgen Roelandts, Greipel is looking towards the Tour de France, with the Tour of Belgium providing opportunities to practice his lead out.
“This stage race is ideal to set the train for sprints,” he concluded. “We have already gained a lot of confidence and hopefully will do well tomorrow in Beveren.”
After staying together for the first 25km of the 169km stage, the five-man break of Pim Ligthart (Vacansoleil-DCM), Alekseis Saramotins (Cofidis), Ramon Sinkeldam (Argos-Shimano), Jay Thomson (UnitedHealthcare) and Mark McNally (An Post-Sean Kelly) was allowed to escape the peloton. Within 20km the group was 4’38” clear, and they were able to build a maximum lead of five minutes before Rabobank, BMC Racing, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, and Lotto-Belisol began to pull them back.
With 25km to go the quintet was still three minutes clear, but with the likes of Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) lending his power to the chase, they had little chance of staying away. With just three kilometres to go, Sinkeldam struck out alone, but he was caught a kilometre later and the Lotto-Belisol team led Greipel into the finish for his second straight stage victory.
Further time bonuses meant that Greipel extended his lead in the general classification to eight seconds, with Guarnieri now tied with van Hummel in third.
Result stage 2
1. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
2. Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
3. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Astana
4. Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis
5. Kenny van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
6. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
7. Timothy Dupont (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen Cycling Team
8. Bert De Backer (Bel) Argos-Shimano
9. Alexei Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha Team
10. Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
Standings after stage 2
1. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
2. Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Acqua & Sapone @ 8s
3. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Astana @ 16s
4. Kenny van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
5. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 17s
6. Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
7. Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano @ 18s
8. Mark McNally (GBr) An Post-Sean Kelly
9. Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis @ 19s
10. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Argos-Shimano