Eneco Tour 2015 – Stage 2 [FULL STAGE] (flemish)

August 11, 2015

Eneco Tour 2015 – Stage 2 – Breda – Breda : 180 km

This season sees the 11th edition of the Eneco Tour, after the cross-border race was inaugurated in 2005. The young Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) is the defending champion this season after a hugely impressive solo victory in Aywaille on the penultimate day of racing. Once again apart of the WorldTour series, the Eneco Tour begins with an out and back sprint stage in Bolsward, in the north of the Netherlands on Monday 10 August. Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep), Moreno Hofland (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Elia Viviani (Team Sky) will all by vying for victory here.

André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) dismissed any notion that he might be suffering from a post-Tour de France hangover as he powered to victory in the bunch sprint in Breda at the end of stage 2 of the Eneco Tour, while Jesper Asselman (Team Roompot) moved into the overall lead.

Aided by a pitch-perfect lead-out from his Lotto-Soudal team, Greipel made amends for his fourth-place finish the previous day by seeing off the challenges of Jacopo Guarnieri (Katusha) and Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep).

Greipel won from the front, opening his effort after Jens Debuscchere had swung off and he had enough in reserve to hold off the fast-closing Guarnieri and Boonen, while Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC) took fourth.

“The team almost carried me to the finish,” said Greipel, who picked up his 14th victory of the season, continuing the fine run of form that saw him claim four stage wins at the Tour de France, including the grand finale on the Champs-Élysées.

Despite the pan-flat parcours and the still conditions prevalent in the Netherlands on Tuesday afternoon, the stage was not entirely a sprinters’ benefit, as early escapee Asselman divested Elia Viviani (Team Sky) of the race lead thanks to the time bonuses he picked up during the trio of sprints in the so-called “Golden Kilometre” on the final lap of the finishing circuit.

Asselman was in the break of the day for the second successive stage, joining Gijs Van Hoecke (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) when he forged clear in the opening kilometres, and their steady working alliance saw them amass a maximum lead of almost seven minutes over the peloton.

Sky’s pace-setting pegged them back gradually thereafter, with Ian Stannard particularly prominent, but the two leaders still had almost two minutes in hand when they reached the trio of bonus sprints with 22 kilometres remaining.

Asselman’s and Van Hoecke’s smooth understanding was to manifest itself once again here. After allowing Van Hoecke to claim the two Primus combativity sprints, Asselman was repaid by being permitted to lead through the Golden Kilometre and pick up the bonuses he needed to move into the provisional overall lead.

With the final overall classification in mind, meanwhile, Philippe Gilbert (BMC) clipped off the front of the peloton in search of the remaining bonuses, and he enjoyed an entertaining battle with Andriy Grivko (Astana). Gilbert picked up third place in the first and third sprints, while Grivko pipped him in the second.

Lotto-Soudal lead-out

By that point, Lotto-Soudal had begun to make their presence felt at the head of the peloton and they would step up their efforts still further in the final 20 kilometres, where neo-professional Tiesj Benoot caught the eye once again with a series of long, long turns on the front.

The two escapees were swept up with 15 kilometres remaining and the scene was set for a bunch finish, though the finale would be a fraught one, with the preponderance of road furniture adding to the nervousness in the peloton.

Leigh Howard (Orica-GreenEdge) was a faller with seven kilometres remaining and the in-form Matti Breschel (Tinkoff-Saxo) hit the ground in a crash in the final two kilometres, though both men were able to remount and finish the stage.

Inside the final three kilometres, a delegation from Etixx-QuickStep attempted to seize control of affairs in support of Boonen, but they were unable to outstrip the Lotto-Soudal train, which swarmed to the front once again underneath the flamme rouge.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Greipel had lost his train in the final kilometre and then compounded his difficulties by opening his sprint too soon and fading to fourth place. There would be no such errors this time around, and when he hit the front with 150 metres remaining, the result was never in doubt.

There were, initially at least, some doubts from the organisation over the general classification situation, with Greipel briefly credited as the new race leader to boot. The result was quickly rectified, however, and Asselman was brought to the podium to receive the white and red jersey of race leader.

The 25-year-old Dutchman is five seconds clear of Greipel and Viviani in the overall standings, while Danny van Poppel (Trek) lies fourth, some nine seconds back. The Eneco Tour crosses into Belgium for stage 3 on Wednesday, with a 171km trek from Bevern to Ardooie.

Results :
1 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 4:12:52
2 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
3 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
4 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
5 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
6 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
7 Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha
8 Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
9 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
10 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre – Merida
11 Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha
12 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica GreenEdge
13 Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant – Alpecin
14 Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky
15 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
16 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team
17 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
18 André Looij (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
19 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
20 Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
21 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
22 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal
23 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant – Alpecin
24 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick Step
25 Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant – Alpecin
26 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
27 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
28 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
29 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre – Merida
30 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge
31 Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
32 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
33 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
34 Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
35 Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
36 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal
37 Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Lampre – Merida
38 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
39 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
40 Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal
41 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team
42 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
43 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Team Cannondale – Garmin
44 Wesley Kreder (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
45 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx – Quick Step
46 Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
47 Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team
48 Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha
49 David Boucher (Bel) FDJ
50 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
51 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant – Alpecin
52 Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling
53 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
54 David Tanner (Aus) IAM Cycling
55 Dayer Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team
56 Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ
57 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
58 Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha
59 Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre – Merida
60 Tim Kerkhof (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
61 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
62 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre – Merida
63 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
64 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Cannondale – Garmin
65 Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
66 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick Step
67 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal
68 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Team Cannondale – Garmin
69 Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
70 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
71 Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
72 Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant – Alpecin
73 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
74 Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ
75 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
76 Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team
77 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
78 Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
79 Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
80 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
81 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Team Cannondale – Garmin
82 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
83 Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant – Alpecin
84 Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale
85 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
86 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha
87 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre – Merida
88 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre – Merida
89 Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
90 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team
91 Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ
92 Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ
93 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx – Quick Step
94 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Team Katusha
95 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
96 Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling
97 Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
98 Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
99 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
100 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
101 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
102 Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
103 Enrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar Team
104 Juan Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team
105 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
106 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
107 Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
108 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – Merida
109 Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
110 Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
111 Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
112 Nathan Haas (Aus) Team Cannondale – Garmin
113 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Team Cannondale – Garmin
114 Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling
115 Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
116 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky
117 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
118 Adriano Malori (Ita) Movistar Team
119 Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica GreenEdge
120 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
121 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
122 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
123 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Trek Factory Racing
124 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
125 Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
126 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Team Cannondale – Garmin
127 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
128 Rick Flens (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
129 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
130 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
131 Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Team Cannondale – Garmin
132 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
133 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEdge
134 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
135 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha
136 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling
137 Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica GreenEdge
138 Marcel Aregger (Swi) IAM Cycling
139 Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky
140 Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ
141 Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
142 Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
143 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky
144 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky
145 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant – Alpecin
146 Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky
147 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
148 Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
149 Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek Factory Racing 4:15:18
150 Michael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo 4:12:52
151 Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
152 Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling
153 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant – Alpecin 4:16:49
154 Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEdge
155 Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Soudal 4:17:50
156 Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEdge 4:20:36
157 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 4:12:52
DNS Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert

General Classification after Stage 2 :
1 Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton 8:18:55
2 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 0:00:05
3 Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky
4 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing 0:00:09
5 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
6 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
7 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:00:10
8 Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
9 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team 0:00:11
10 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
11 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:13
12 Nathan Haas (Aus) Team Cannondale – Garmin
13 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 0:00:14
14 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica GreenEdge 0:00:15
15 Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
16 Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha
17 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
18 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
19 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team
20 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
21 Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha
22 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
23 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant – Alpecin
24 André Looij (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
25 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
26 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre – Merida
27 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre – Merida
28 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
29 Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
30 Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant – Alpecin
31 Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
32 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Team Cannondale – Garmin
33 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
34 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal
35 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
36 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
37 Wesley Kreder (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
38 Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Lampre – Merida
39 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
40 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick Step
41 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
42 Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
43 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal
44 Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal
45 Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling
46 Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
47 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant – Alpecin
48 Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling
49 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
50 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx – Quick Step
51 Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre – Merida
52 Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
53 Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
54 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
55 Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale
56 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team
57 Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha
58 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx – Quick Step
59 Dayer Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team
60 David Boucher (Bel) FDJ
61 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
62 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
63 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick Step
64 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Team Cannondale – Garmin
65 Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
66 Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team
67 Enrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar Team
68 Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica GreenEdge
69 Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ
70 Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha
71 Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
72 Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
73 Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Team Cannondale – Garmin
74 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
75 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
76 Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team
77 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Cannondale – Garmin
78 Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant – Alpecin
79 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre – Merida
80 Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ
81 Tim Kerkhof (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
82 David Tanner (Aus) IAM Cycling
83 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
84 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
85 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
86 Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant – Alpecin
87 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha
88 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
89 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
90 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre – Merida
91 Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
92 Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ
93 Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling
94 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
95 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team
96 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx – Quick Step
97 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge
98 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Team Katusha
99 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre – Merida
100 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
101 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
102 Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
103 Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
104 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal
105 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
106 Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling
107 Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
108 Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
109 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
110 Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Team Cannondale – Garmin
111 Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant – Alpecin
112 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
113 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
114 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Team Cannondale – Garmin
115 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
116 Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
117 Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
118 Juan Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team
119 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEdge
120 Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
121 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
122 Marcel Aregger (Swi) IAM Cycling
123 Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
124 Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
125 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
126 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
127 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – Merida
128 Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
129 Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
130 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling
131 Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ
132 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Team Cannondale – Garmin
133 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha
134 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
135 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky
136 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Trek Factory Racing
137 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
138 Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
139 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
140 Adriano Malori (Ita) Movistar Team
141 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
142 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
143 Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky
144 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant – Alpecin
145 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky
146 Rick Flens (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
147 Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica GreenEdge
148 Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky
149 Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ
150 Michael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
151 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky
152 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
153 Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek Factory Racing 0:02:41
154 Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEdge 0:04:12
155 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant – Alpecin
156 Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:05:13
157 Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEdge 0:07:59