Marcel Kittel (Skil-Shimano) made it two out of two in this year’s Quatre Jours de Dunkerque with another sprint victory in the second stage between Douai and Iwuy. This time the men at the front that the German outsprinted were different though, with Aidis Kruopis (Landbouwkrediet) in second and Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) in third.
“The team worked so incredibly well that I hardly dared to lose the sprint,” 22-year-old neo-pro Kittel joked after the stage.
Just 6km into the 188km stage Julien El Farès (Cofidis), Anthony Ravard (AG2R La Mondiale), Martin Mortensen (Leopard Trek) and Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleil-DCM) escaped. Between them they were able to build an advantage of 3’35” by the 60km point but, with Kittel’s Skil-Shimano team leading the peloton, this was all they were going to get.
Over the course of the mid part of the stage the quartet’s lead was to be steadily chiselled away, until the break was finally caught after 135km.
With more than 30km still to race though there was still plenty of time for attacks and, almost immediately, a move came from Romain Bacon (Big Mat-Auber), who was quickly joined by Aleksejs Saramotins (Cofidis).
The two fugitives were soon joined by eleven more, including Katusha’ Italian riders Filippo Pozzato and Luca Paolini, both doubtless still smarting over being pulled from the Russian team’s Giro d’Italia roster, and World cyclocross champion Zdenek Stybar (Quick Step). The group of thirteen managed to get 25 seconds clear but Skil-Shimano still had the bit between its teeth, and managed to pull the peloton back up to them.
A puncture for Paolini effectively ended the group’s chances and it was caught with less than 5km to go.
Having done all the hard work, there only remained for Skil-Shimano to deliver Kittel to the sprint; the Dutch team managed it perfectly and the German took his second stage in as many days by a clear margin; 10 seconds bonus on the line reinforces Kittel’s lead in the overall standings.
Result stage 2
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Skil-Shimano
2. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet
3. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
4. Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis
5. Stéphane Poulhiès (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
6. Steven Caethoven (Bel) Verandas Willem-Accent
7. Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha
8. Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
9. Fabien Bacquet (Fra) BigMat-Auber 93
10. Ronan Racault (Fra) BigMat-Auber 93
Standings after stage 2
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Skil-Shimano
2. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet @ 20s
3. Anthony Ravard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
4. Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM @ 21s
5. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator @ 22s