Tour of Med: Degenkolb Wins again

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Winner of stage 1 John Degenkolb (Giant Shimano) backed up with a second victory, Steve Cummings best Brit in 17th while Raleigh’s Matthieu Boulo impresses

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Degenkolb Wins again

After controlling the race all day yesterday in search of a stage win, which came good at the finish, Team Giant-Shimano were controlling the race today in defence of the leader’s jersey. After a sterling effort on the front of the peloton yesterday, Tom Peterson and Thierry Hupond were back on pacing duty today as they controlled the bunch together with road captain, Johannes Fröhlinger and gradually brought back the day’s breakaway.

Towards the end of the stage the peloton split and about 50-riders pulled clear. The rest of the team helped keep John out of trouble and control the pace until the finish where he once again showed his turn of pace to take his second win in as many days.

Talking after the stage, John said: “I felt really good at the finish today and in the end won by a few bike lengths which is always a good feeling. Like yesterday the guys did a great job controlling the race, and I’m really just the guy who finishes it off at the end – they do most of the work. I still had four guys with me at the finish and they let it out from with 4km to go and set me up perfectly. I can really feel the stiffness of the bike too. I’m riding the Giant Propel Advanced SL and everything you put through it comes straight out as speed; it feels great to ride. We stuck to the plan today and it paid off.”

The win means John retains his overall lead of the race and also adds to his lead in the points classification.
Steve Cummings of BMC said after the stage “It was a hard stage again, like yesterday. But it was different because yesterday was the wind. Today was more left and right, up and down, very nervous. So we had to stay in front. There was a big crash before the last climb and we were just behind a bit.”

“Thor Hushovd and Amaël Moinard brought me back to the front. In the final, I could follow the first on the climb. And then, after the climb, I couldn’t follow some moves because the race was pretty stretched and no one really had control. I managed to stay in the same group to keep the same time as everyone else. So that was good.”

Sport Director Max Sciandri said: “We had a little look at a result and it didn’t really happen but I think we had our GC (general classification) guys in front and that’s what probably counts. We have Steve and Ben up there. That’s good. Overall, I’d say things went pretty good. We’re happy.”

Raleigh’s French signing Matthieu Boulo demonstrated his ability staying with the front group and finishing 34th in the same time as the leaders.

Saturday features two stages: a 63-km road race in the morning and an 18.2-km individual time trial in the afternoon.

RESULT
1 DEGENKOLB John Team Giant-Shimano 04:16:39
2 MARTINEZ Yannick Team Europcar
3 FONSECA Armindo Bretagne РS̩ch̩ Environnement
4 COLBRELLI Sonny Bardiani – CSF
5 KREDER Michel Wanty – Groupe Gobert
6 GAUTIER Cyril Team Europcar
7 BRUTT Pavel Team Katusha
8 SELVAGGI Mirko Wanty – Groupe Gobert
9 ROUX Anthony FDJ.fr
10 CHEREL Mikael AG2R La Mondiale

14 CHAVANEL Sylvain IAM Cycling
17 CUMMINGS Stephen BMC Racing Team
34 BOULO Matthieu Team Raleigh @all same time as lead group

66 NAPOLITANO Danilo Wanty – Groupe Gobert 02:11
73 PHINNEY Taylor BMC Racing Team
109 WILKINSON Ian Team Raleigh 05:58
116 BARKER Yanto Team Raleigh
119 FRAPPORTI Marco Androni Giocattoli 11:16
123 CHRISTIAN Mark Team Raleigh
124 OLIPHANT Evan Team Raleigh
145 HUSHOVD Thor BMC Racing Team 11:24
146 LAPORTE Christophe Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 12:39
154 ATKINS George Team Raleigh
155 PERRETT Joseph Team Raleigh
158 KNEISKY Morgan Team Raleigh 13:22

 

 

 

 

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