Wouter Wippert (Netherlands) won the second stage of the Tour de l’Avenir between Rambervillers and Bruyères as the race came down to a bunch sprint for the second straight day. The 21-year-old beat teammate Moreno Hofland, the winner of stage one, into second place, with Filippo Fortin (Italy) in third at the end of the hilly 151km stage.
After a number of unsuccessful attacks Garikoitz Bravo (Spain) escaped at the 32km point. He crossed the top of the 4th category Col de Bonne Fontaine, after 38km, 55 seconds clear, and soon afterwards was joined by Sjoerd Kouwenhoven (Netherlands) and Marco Haller (Austria).
Over the next two climbs, the 2nd category Col des Hayes, the 4th category Col de la Croix Moinats, the three riders opened up a lead that had stretched to around seven minutes as they arrived at the foot of the final climb, the Col de la Grosse Pierre. As they reached the top though, it had been reduced to 5’35” with the acceleration in the peloton splitting it into several groups.
In the final, flatter third of the stage the peloton, led by the Australian team of yellow jersey Rohan Dennis, and the United States, steadily reeled the brekaway trio in. They were finally captured in the last three kilometres, only for the Netherlands riders to dominate the sprint once their man had been caught.
Wippert, who had led the peloton home on stage one, beat Hofland, who had won the stage.
Result stage 2
1. Wouter Wippert (Ned) Netherlands National Team
2. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Netherlands National Team
3. Filippo Fortin (Ita) Italian National Team
4. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Netherlands National Team
5. Jan Keller (Swi) Swiss National Team
6. Tim Declercq (Bel) Belgium National Team
7. Nikias Arndt (Ger) German National Team
8. Nairo Quintana (Col) Colombian National Team
9. Romain Bardet (Fra) France National Team
10. Esteban Chaves (Col) Colombian National Team
Standings after stage 2
1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Australian National Team
2. David Boily (Can) Canadian National Team @ 24s
3. Georg Preidler (Aut) Austrian National Team @ 35s
4. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Netherlands National Team
5. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Netherlands National Team @ 40s
6. Jakub Novak (Cze) Czech Republic National Team @ 44s
7. Hugo Houle (Can) Canadian National Team
8. Romain Bardet (Fra) France National Team @ 46s
9. Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Denmark National Team @ 48s
10. Dimitri Le Boulch (Fra) France National Team @ 49s