Tour de Suisse 2019 – Stage 2 [FULL STAGE]

June 16, 2019

Tour de Suisse 2019 – Stage 2 – Langnau – Langnau : 159,6 km

The Tour de Suisse, together with the Criterium du Dauphine, is the last critical test before the Tour de France – on one hand, a tune-up for the general classification contenders – on the other, a fight for selection to a rider’s squad for the Grand Tour. For Team Ineos, the Tour de Suisse will be an important form check for defending Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas, who has not raced since coming third in the Tour de Romandie, and for his teammate Egan Bernal, who fractured his collarbone after the Volta a Catalunya. It will also be a critical juncture for Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates) who is coming back after iliac artery surgery.

Luis León Sánchez (Astana) won stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse with a solo attack 11 kilometres from the line. The Spaniard, who finished six seconds up on the charging peloton, rounded off a great day for Astana, who also sealed victory at Critérium du Dauphiné moments earlier.

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hasngrohe) led the peloton home to take second place, while Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) took third. Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) took fourth but moves into the race lead thanks to bonus seconds acquired earlier in the stage.

Astana took charge of the race over the final two climbs of the day, blowing the peloton apart and dropping the sprinters on the steep slopes of the final ascent of Chuderhüsi. Omar Fraile made a move on the climbs, but it was Sanchez who took advantage of a lull in the peloton on the flat roads heading to the finish.

With several sprinters making their way back to the front, Sanchez launched, and quickly built a gap as the likes of CCC Team and Team Sunweb struggled to organise a chase. Once the chase was co-ordinated, it was already too late, and Sanchez had time to slow up and celebrate before crossing the line.

“I am so happy I could win today,” Sanchez said. “I did not expect I could be so strong in the final, but I was lucky to hold the gap until the end. We knew we have to do this race as hard as possible as there are many big sprinters in the peloton. We had to try to escape the bunch sprint to get a chance to fight for the victory.”

How it unfolded

Three laps of a circuit around Langdau im Emmental played host to the second stage of the race, each featuring two second-category climbs – Schallenberg (8km at 5.1 per cent) and Chuderhüsi (3km at 9.2 per cent). With the stage favouring classics riders, a bunch sprint was expected at the finish.

The action started as the flag dropped, with numerous attempts to get away by various riders in the opening kilometres. After ten kilometres of racing, four men got away, with Guillaume van Keirsbulck (CCC Team) joined by Gavin Mannion (Rally UHC Cycling), Claudio Imhof (Switzerland) and Fabien Grellier (Total Direct Energie).

The quartet had to work to build a modest lead of two minutes by the time they reached the first climbs of the day, but they weren’t all together for long. After Grellier led Imhof over the first ascent of Schallenberg, Imhof attacked on the descent building a 30-second lead over Chuderhüsi.

Imhof didn’t let up in the valley, pushing on to extend his lead to two minutes by the second ascent of Schallenberg. Over four minutes back, Bahrain-Merida controlled the peloton.

By the time Imhof reached the second ascent of Schallenberg, the chasers Mannion, Grellier and Van Keirsbulck were being reeled in by the peloton. They were soon caught, leaving Imhof alone, 2:30 up the road.

The Swiss duly added to his mountain points, leading over Schallenberg and Chuderhüsi. Back in the peloton, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) beat Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) at the intermediate sprint for two and one bonus seconds, respectively.

It was a quiet ride along the valley roads into the final lap. Imhof’s mechanical problem and subsequent bike change 42km out proved the only real event of note until the final two climbs of the day.

Astana took it up at the base of the final ascent of Schallenberg, dragging back Imhof, who was by then the new mountain classification leader with 21 points, with 37km to race. Further back, riders were quickly ejected from the peloton as the Kazakh team pushed the pace hard on the climb.

Three-time race champion Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) was surprisingly among the dropped riders, while up front Omar Fraile (Astana) attacked over the top of the climb. Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Roland Thalmann (Switzerland) joined him on the descent.

At the base of the final ascent of Chuderhüsi, the trio had a 20-second advantage but were caught at the top of the climb. With no other major attacks over the top, the final 18km drew the question of whether the sprinters could make it back before the finish.

Sánchez clipped off the front of the peloton with 11km to go, sensing a lull in proceedings as various sprinters, including Sagan, Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) and Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) made their way back.

The 35-year-old quickly built up a 30-second advantage, and with the chasers taking their time to get properly organised, he was able to hold out well despite the seemingly poor odds of success. By the time CCC Team and Team Sunweb got numbers on the front, it was too late, and Sánchez could celebrate his victory in the final metres even as the peloton bore down on him.

“The team was super strong on the last two climbs, and later, when I saw a moment, I made my attack,” Sanchez said. “For a few kilometers, the situation still was on the limit as the peloton was really close, chasing me hard. But in the end, I managed to resist and to win.”

Results :
1 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 4:01:21
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
3 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott
4 Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team
6 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
7 Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team
8 Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
9 Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin
10 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Ineos
11 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie
12 Stefan Küng (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
13 Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Dimension Data
14 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
15 Roland Thalmann (Sui) Switzerland
16 Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
17 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Ineos
18 Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team
19 Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
20 Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Astana Pro Team
21 Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
22 Kevin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ
23 Enric Mas (Spa) Deceuninck-QuickStep
24 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
25 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sunweb
26 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Dimension Data
27 Robert Stannard (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
28 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Ineos
29 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
30 François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
31 Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team
32 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Bahrain-Merida
33 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin
34 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
35 Hugh John Carthy (GBr) EF Education First
36 Nathan Brown (USA) EF Education First
37 Sergio Henao (Col) UAE Team Emirates
38 Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale
39 Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie
40 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin
41 Patrick Schelling (Sui) Switzerland
42 Fabio Aru (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
43 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb
44 Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team
45 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
46 Jan Hirt (Cze) Astana Pro Team
47 Steve Morabito (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
48 Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin
49 Kilian Frankiny (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
50 Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
51 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Ineos
52 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team
53 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
54 Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Movistar Team
55 Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First
56 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Ineos
57 Matteo Badilatti (Swi) Israel Cycling Academy
58 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
59 Simon Geschke (Ger) CCC Team
60 Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:15
61 Michael Schär (Swi) CCC Team 0:00:34
62 Marc Hirschi (Swi) Team Sunweb 0:00:41
63 Lennard Kämna (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:00:55
64 Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Mitchelton-Scott 0:01:28
65 Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:03:12
66 Willem Jakobus Smit (RSA) Katusha-Alpecin
67 Gino Mäder (Swi) Dimension Data
68 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb
69 Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
70 Carlos Cuesta Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team
71 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb 0:04:08
72 Brandon McNulty (USA) Rally UHC Cycling 0:05:21
73 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
74 Patrick Bevin (NZl) CCC Team
75 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal 0:06:14
76 Stan Dewulf (Bel) Lotto Soudal
77 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal
78 Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
79 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
80 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
81 Simon Pellaud (Sui) Switzerland 0:08:10
82 Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension Data
83 Paul Ourselin (Fra) Direct Energie
84 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates
85 Rob Britton (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
86 Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
87 Timo Roosen (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
88 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
89 Rodrigo Contreras (Col) Astana Pro Team
90 Manuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
91 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First
92 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
93 Larry Warbasse (USA) AG2R La Mondiale
94 Pierre-Roger LaTour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
95 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:11:36
96 Claudio Imhoff (Sui) Switzerland
97 Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Groupama-FDJ
98 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
99 Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
100 Gian Friesecke (Sui) Switzerland
101 Mitchell Docker (Aus) EF Education First
102 Ivan Garcia (Spa) Bahrain-Merida
103 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) CCC Team
104 Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie
105 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
106 Ben King (USA) Dimension Data
107 Fabian Lienhard (Sui) Switzerland
108 Jay Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data
109 Ryan Anderson (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
110 Floris De Tier (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma
111 Jérôme Cousin (Fra) Total Direct Energie
112 Szymon Sajnok (Pol) CCC Team
113 Enzo Wouters (Bel) Lotto Soudal
114 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Katusha-Alpecin
115 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo
116 Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo
117 Daniel McLay (GBr) EF Education First
118 Andrea Garosio (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
119 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
120 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
121 Colin Joyce (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
122 Robin Carpenter (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
123 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) CCC Team
124 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
125 Alexander Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
126 Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
127 Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
128 Tom Scully (NZl) EF Education First
129 Antonio Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
130 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Direct Energie
131 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
132 Svein Tuft (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
133 Sam Bewley (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
134 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
135 Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Ineos
136 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Deceuninck-QuickStep
137 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Ineos
138 Elia Viviani (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep
139 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie
140 Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
141 Tom Bohli (Swi) UAE Team Emirates
142 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Movistar Team
143 Gavin Mannion (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
144 Taco van der Hoorn (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
145 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
DNS Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Danny van Poppel (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma

General Classification after Stage 2 :
1 Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:12:16
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
3 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:01
4 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
5 Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First 0:00:06
6 Stefan Küng (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:10
7 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:17
8 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Ineos 0:00:18
9 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Ineos 0:00:19
10 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
11 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team
12 Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team
13 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:20
14 Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin
15 Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
16 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Ineos 0:00:24
17 Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team
18 Kevin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:26
19 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
20 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sunweb 0:00:27
21 Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:28
22 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:30
23 Fabio Aru (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:31
24 Steve Morabito (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:32
25 Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:34
26 Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:00:35
27 Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Dimension Data
28 Sergio Henao (Col) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:37
29 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team 0:00:38
30 Simon Geschke (Ger) CCC Team 0:00:39
31 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin
32 Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:40
33 Jan Hirt (Cze) Astana Pro Team 0:00:41
34 Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
35 Hugh John Carthy (GBr) EF Education First
36 Enric Mas (Spa) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:44
37 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:46
38 Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:47
39 Nathan Brown (USA) EF Education First 0:00:49
40 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Dimension Data 0:00:50
41 Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin 0:00:53
42 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:54
43 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Ineos
44 Roland Thalmann (Sui) Switzerland 0:00:56
45 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:58
46 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:59
47 Patrick Schelling (Sui) Switzerland 0:01:01
48 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin 0:01:02
49 Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton-Scott 0:01:04
50 Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:05
51 Kilian Frankiny (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
52 Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:06
53 Michael Schär (Swi) CCC Team 0:01:09
54 Robert Stannard (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:01:12
55 François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:13
56 Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:16
57 Marc Hirschi (Swi) Team Sunweb 0:01:17
58 Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Astana Pro Team 0:01:20
59 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Ineos 0:01:25
60 Lennard Kämna (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:01:26
61 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:01:29
62 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie 0:01:39
63 Matteo Badilatti (Swi) Israel Cycling Academy 0:01:47
64 Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Mitchelton-Scott 0:02:02
65 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:03:30
66 Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:03:48
67 Gino Mäder (Swi) Dimension Data 0:04:01
68 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb 0:04:05
69 Willem Jakobus Smit (RSA) Katusha-Alpecin 0:04:14
70 Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:04:19
71 Carlos Cuesta Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team 0:04:24
72 Patrick Bevin (NZl) CCC Team 0:05:24
73 Brandon McNulty (USA) Rally UHC Cycling 0:05:50
74 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 0:06:09
75 Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:06:23
76 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:06:30
77 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:06:35
78 Stan Dewulf (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:06:39
79 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:07:06
80 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal 0:07:18
81 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First 0:08:30
82 Rodrigo Contreras (Col) Astana Pro Team 0:08:40
83 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:08:42
84 Pierre-Roger LaTour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:08:45
85 Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension Data 0:08:51
86 Rob Britton (Can) Rally UHC Cycling 0:08:53
87 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:08:54
88 Larry Warbasse (USA) AG2R La Mondiale 0:08:57
89 Paul Ourselin (Fra) Direct Energie 0:09:02
90 Simon Pellaud (Sui) Switzerland 0:09:10
91 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:09:11
92 Timo Roosen (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:09:17
93 Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:09:19
94 Manuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:09:39
95 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:11:31
96 Tom Scully (NZl) EF Education First 0:11:42
97 Claudio Imhoff (Sui) Switzerland 0:11:44
98 Tom Bohli (Swi) UAE Team Emirates 0:11:46
99 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Ineos 0:11:50
100 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) CCC Team 0:11:52
101 Alexander Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
102 Mitchell Docker (Aus) EF Education First 0:11:56
103 Gian Friesecke (Sui) Switzerland 0:11:59
104 Ivan Garcia (Spa) Bahrain-Merida 0:12:05
105 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
106 Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo 0:12:08
107 Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Katusha-Alpecin 0:12:09
108 Elia Viviani (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep
109 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:12:11
110 Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data 0:12:13
111 Sam Bewley (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott 0:12:15
112 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:12:17
113 Jay Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data 0:12:18
114 Gavin Mannion (USA) Rally UHC Cycling 0:12:19
115 Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin 0:12:20
116 Jérôme Cousin (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:12:23
117 Szymon Sajnok (Pol) CCC Team 0:12:26
118 Ben King (USA) Dimension Data
119 Robin Carpenter (USA) Rally UHC Cycling 0:12:28
120 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) CCC Team
121 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
122 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie 0:12:29
123 Fabian Lienhard (Sui) Switzerland 0:12:31
124 Colin Joyce (USA) Rally UHC Cycling 0:12:32
125 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:12:33
126 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 0:12:34
127 Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
128 Svein Tuft (Can) Rally UHC Cycling 0:12:35
129 Taco van der Hoorn (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma
130 Antonio Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:12:38
131 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
132 Ryan Anderson (Can) Rally UHC Cycling 0:12:39
133 Daniel McLay (GBr) EF Education First 0:12:43
134 Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:12:46
135 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Direct Energie
136 Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie 0:12:47
137 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Movistar Team
138 Andrea Garosio (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:12:50
139 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:12:52
140 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
141 Floris De Tier (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:12:55
142 Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Groupama-FDJ 0:13:02
143 Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Ineos 0:13:06
144 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:13:09
145 Enzo Wouters (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:13:18