Coppi e Bartali: Stage 2

Bauke Mollema sprinted to the uphill victory in stage two at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali to give Trek-Segafredo its second win of the day

Coppi e Bartali: Stage 2

Bauke Mollema sprinted to the uphill victory in stage two at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali to give Trek-Segafredo its second win of the day after Jarlinson Pantano won stage five in the Volta a Catalunya earlier.

Photo credit: Bettiniphoto

It was a big win for the Dutchman who had been fighting an infection during Paris-Nice and was using the Italian race to find back his form:

Mollema: “I am happy with the win today, especially after the last two weeks; I was not feeling too good, my blood values were not good, and I was feeling tired all the time. In Paris-Nice I could see something was off: I didn’t have the right legs, and I couldn’t train very hard in the last weeks. Luckily in the last couple of days, I already felt much better.
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“Only on Monday evening did we decide that I could start here, and I was not sure about the form and how my body would react to racing again. But yesterday already I felt really good. It’s strange how things can change in one week’s time.”

Stage two saw a short but challenging course that whittled the peloton to six riders by the last kilometers. Mollema started the day with good sensations but admitted he faltered towards the end, and only with help from teammate Nicol Conci was able to rejoin the front.

“It was quite a short stage, 130kms only, but it was really hard: all day up and down, tricky downhills, steep climbs, so it was a very hard stage actually the whole day. In the final, we had a circuit we did twice, and the last climb three times – it was a pretty hard climb of 5-6kms.

“I felt good at the start but then after I was not so sure anymore of my legs. In one moment I got dropped on a descent when someone opened a gap in front of me, and I was 30secs back of the first riders. Luckily Nicola Conci was with me, and he did a great job to pull me back on one of the climbs and when I came back to the front, there were only 30 guys left.
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“On the last climb with 10k to go, we were only 6-7 riders. There were some attacks, but more or less we came together for the last 300 meters uphill sprint. It was around 8% but tricky because it was also cobbled and there was one smooth section in the middle that you had to be on”.

“I saw the video from last year when Toms Skujins won this same stage, and he did it perfect: he went first into the corner with 300meters to go, and he made a big gap. So I knew what I had to do. There was still one rider in front of me with a few seconds, and I had to go on the cobbles to go around him, and you lose all the speed. I was a little afraid of the others, but they had to do the same. Luckily it worked out, and I am really happy.”

The race continues with a flat stage for stage 3 and ends with a time trial Sunday. Bauke Mollema is seven seconds behind (Team Sky) in the overall classification, which will more than likely be decided in the race against the clock the final day.

“It will probably come down to the TT,” agreed Mollema. “It is really hard with a steep climb also, so we will see.”

Result: Coppi e Bartali

Stage 2
1 Mollema Bauke Trek – Segafredo
2 Rosa Diego Team Sky
3 Ciccone Giulio Bardiani – CSF
4 Martin Guillaume Wanty – Groupe Gobert
5 Carapaz Richard Movistar Team
6 Bouwman Koen Team LottoNL-Jumbo
7 Sosa Ivan Ramiro Androni – Sidermec
8 Hamilton Lucas Mitchelton-Scott
9 Ballerini Davide Androni – Sidermec – Bottecchia
10 Powless Neilson Team LottoNL-Jumbo
19 Dunbar Edward Aqua Blue Sport 1:14
26 Christian Mark Aqua Blue Sport 1:22
54 Mccormick Hayden One Pro Cycling
93 Rowe Luke Team Sky 14:44
94 Dibben Jonathan Team Sky
99 Oram James One Pro Cycling
129 Pearson Daniel Aqua Blue Sport
134 Frame Alex Trek – Segafredo
143 Baylis Tom One Pro Cycling
146 Liepins Emils One Pro Cycling
147 Kelly Jake One Pro Cycling