After yesterday’s opening stage, which was not the way that we hoped to start with, today our talents had a chance to bounce back as the second stage kicked off in Gradara and after 120 km was set to finish in Riccione. The stage was off to an usual start, as the wet roads causes a number of crashes, which affected our Jordi Meeus, Marco Frigo and David Dekker, so the organization decided to stop the race, and once it kicked off again there was another crash in which Dekker was caught in, and then the organizers decided to neutralise the race for 12 km and restart once it was safer. 

Once the race went back on again, a group of five riders went up the road with the bunch allowing the group a considerable gap before picking up the pace. Our talents were riding safely in the bunch saving the legs to produce a good leadout for Jordi Meeus as he had a solid chance to win. With nine kilometers to the line the peloton finally caught the remainder of the breakaway and the lead out trains took control of the bunch. Jordi Meeus was put in a good position to sprint, but was only outpowered by one rider and took second in the day. 

Tomorrow’s stage presents another opportunity for the sprinters, as the parcour is predominantly flat but with two third-category climbs within the last 40 km. 

Jordi Meeus, second in today’s stage:
“The start of the race was super hectic, it was wet and some of us crashed so the organization decided to stop the race. We started again and there was yet another crash, and the race organisers decided to neutralise the next 12 km. In the climbing part, my goal was to hang on and not to spend to much energy and from there on it was super fast to the last kilometers, and Daan and me were closed to the head of the bunch. Daan did a super strong leadout for me and it was a shame that after all that hard work another rider stayed in the front. It was a close one, but we are looking forward the next stages”