Matthews Takes The Reins As Bol Wins Stage 2
March 8th 2021
Dutchman Cees Bool (Team DSM) outwitted the rest of the bunch to raise his arms on the last stretch of the second stage in Amilly, but the main actor of the day was Australia’s Michael Matthews (Bike Exchange), who collected bonus points on the 188 km of the days’ ride before finishing third to rid Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick Step) of the leader’s jersey. “Bling”, who already held the yellow and white jersey in 2016 until the pen ultimate day, picked five seconds in the bonus sprints to move level with Bennett and his podium placing was enough to repeat the feat. Denmark’s Mads Pedersen, was second in the stage behind Bol and also lies second overall.
Belgian breakaway
Stage 2 started at 11:49 without 2013 and 2015 race winner Richie Porte, forced out in a crash on stage 1. The break of the day took place at kilometre 17.5 when Belgians Sander Armee (Qhubeka) and Dries de Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix) parted with the rest of the peloton. The pack gave them the go-ahead and the duo gradually increased their lead, which topped at 4:25 at kilometre 33 and remained stable at around three minutes until the day’s climb, Cote des Granges-le-Roi at km 72.2.
Echelons
Armee was first ahead of De Dondt at the top of the climb with Fabien Doubey (Total Direct Energie) snatching the remaining point to secure the polka-dot jersey until Thursday as there are no climbs in Tuesday’s stage 3. The peloton split into several echelons after Trek-Segafredo upped the pace and the two escapees were brought back at kilometre 84. The second part of the bunch, in which featured Steven Kruiswijk among others, finally regrouped a few kilometres further down the road, shortly before the first bonus sprint of the day, taken by Michael Matthews (Bike Exchange).
Matthews bonus collector
With 70 km top go Deceuninck-Quick Step also increased the tempo in the crosswinds, splitting the pack into three echelons. Kruijswijk was again among the riders dropped by the front of the bunch but the pack regrouped once more. Andre Greipel (Israel Startup Nation) won the second bonus sprint ahead of Matthews, and the Australian found himself level with Sam Bennett on time in the GC before the final sprint. Shortly after the sprint, George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma) crashed but was quickly back on his bike. It was not the case of Alexis Vuillermoz (Total Direct Energie), who was forced to call it quits with a suspected collarbone injury in a later pile-up.
Like yesterday’s opening stage, the 30-year-old Team BikeExchange rider fought hard to take an additional five bonus seconds during the two intermediate sprints of the day, after the early breakaway was reeled back in. With the help of his teammates, Matthews positioned himself in fifth wheel coming out of the final corner and bided his time before launching his sprint for third place, successfully claiming four more crucial seconds. This proved to be enough for the Australian rider to leapfrog Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) and Sam Bennet (Deceuninck-Quickstep) to move into the overall race lead.
Bol makes it at last
A last crash involved Gregor Muehlberger (Movistar) and Daniel Arroyave (EF Education-Nippo) before the stage was set for the final bunch sprint. Trek-Segafredo led for most of the last two kilometres to position Mads Pedersen ideally, while Sam Bennett was blocked a bit behind after a crash took place in the last corner. But Cees Bol was the most cunning of a lot as he surged behind Pedersen and France’s Bryan Coquard to snatch his most emphatic win to date after several top five placings in the last Tour de France.
Michael Matthews:
“I came here to try everything I could. With the breakaways not really going, it gave us opportunities to go for the intermediate sprints, take seconds back and take the jersey. “I knew I wasn’t the fastest guy here so I tried to position well and sprint as best I could and, in the end, today I was third. There was time bonuses for the third place and so I got it and will get to wear it tomorrow in the time trial.
“It is nice that the hard work from the last two days pays off and I can pull on the yellow jersey for the team. The team were positioning me all day to make sure I could get up for all the intermediate sprint and also for the final sprint, so it is a really good day for us.
“To be wearing the jersey at least for one-day, I am really looking forward to that. It is amazing, everybody is fully committed to the plan and I am just trying to execute it as best I can and I will try my best with every opportunity, I get to pay them back.
“I haven’t done a time trial yet (this season), everything has been going well with my time trial training so hopefully I do a good TT tomorrow and continue with the jersey.”
STAGE CLASSIFICATION
- Cees Bol (Team DSM) in 4h27’59’’
- Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) s.t.
- Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) s.t.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
- Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange)
- Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) at 4’’
- Sam Bennett (Deceuninck–Quick-Step) at 4’’
