News – Swift third in Ruta del Sol

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On stage 2 of the Ruta del Sol, Ben Swift was denied the win by Nacer Bouhanni who still leads overall

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News – Swift third in Ruta del Sol

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Ben Swift was denied the win by Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), who produced a fine sprint from a reduced peloton to take the honours.

Ruben Pols (Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise), Reinier Honig (Roompot – Oranje Peloton), Pablo Torres (Burgos-BH) and Aitor Gonzales (Euskadi Murias) formed the day’s main breakaway, but the race came back together at the foot of the day’s sole classified climb.

That was when Team Sky moved to the front, and with Nicolas Roche setting a ferocious tempo, riders quickly fell off the back of the bunch. By the time the third-category climb had been crested, the peloton had been severely reduced, leading to a thrilling run in to Cordoba.

What was left of the peloton regrouped on the long descent which followed, and in the closing stages Team Sky rallied in support of Swift as they kept GC hopeful Wout Poels out of trouble. Bouhanni proved the fastest finisher on the stage however, and despite Swift’s best efforts, he couldn’t get round the Frenchman on the tight finishing straight.

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Fabio Felline (2nd) (Trek-Segafredo ) “The final climb was so fast, and it made a huge selection,” explained Felline at the race finish. “The downhill was really crazy! But I was in good position on the climb and started the descent in third position. We arrived in Córdoba with 18-19 guys. Only in the last kilometers did it come back to a big peloton.”

“Like yesterday the finish was not signed well,” continued Felline. “All of a sudden I saw the finish line and started my sprint. Bouhanni started before me; I waited too much, but regardless, for sure Bouhanni was going to win and chapeau – a big compliment to him.

“But sometimes I would prefer to make a perfect sprint and leave it all on the road, and if I am second, I am second. When you don’t give it your all, it’s a little frustrating and doesn’t feel the same.”

STAGE 2
1. Nacer Bouhanni, Cofidis, Solutions Credits 4:39:33
2. Fabio Felline, Trek-Segafredo
3. Ben Swift, Team Sky
4. Christophe Laporte, Cofidis, Solutions Credits
5. Raymond Kreder, Roompot – Oranje Peloton
6. Juan Jose Lobato, Movistar Team
7. Tosh Van Der Sande, Lotto Soudal
8. Kiel Reijnen, Trek-Segafredo
9. Enrico Battaglin, Team LottoNl-Jumbo
10. Matteo Busato, Southeast – Venezuela

15. Alejandro Valverde, Movistar Team
20. Philippe Gilbert, BMC Racing Team
38. Tejay Van Garderen, BMC Racing Team
82. Nicolas Roche, Team Sky
118. Hugh Carthy, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

OVERALL
1. Nacer Bouhanni,Cofidis, Solutions Credits 8:35:35
2. Juan Jose Lobato, Movistar Team
3. Raymond Kreder, Roompot – Oranje Peloton
4. Ben Swift, Team Sky
11. Philippe Gilbert, BMC Racing Team

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