Grégoire survives Pogacar hunger and wins the second stage of the Tour of Switzerland
The French cyclist Romain Grégoire (Groupama) won the second stage of the Tour of Switzerland, 157.7 kilometers, starting and finishing in the town of Locarno, in which Tadej Pogacar (UAE) satisfactorily retained the leader’s jersey.
The stage began with the climb to Monte Ceneri (5.2 kilometers at 6.4% average gradient) and a very steep route, but the decisive part was aimed at being the end, with the climbs chained to Fanghi (3.6 kilometers at 7%) and Via Consiglio Mezzano (1.4 kilometers at 8.9%).
The first movements began before reaching Monte Ceneri. Then, a leading group was formed consisting of Paul Lapeira (Decathlon), Alec Segaert (Bahrain), Romain Grégoire (Groupama), Orluis Aular (Movistar), Patrick Gamper (Jayco) and Xandro Meurisse (Q36.5).
Other cyclists regretted not having entered the breakaway, so they attacked. The high speed in the chase neutralized the escapees and formed a new leading group on the initial climb, formed by Lenny Martinez (Bahrain), Rémy Rochas (Groupama), Louis Vervaeke (Soudal), Bart Lemmen (Visma) and Xabier Mikel Azparren (Q36.5).
The Belgian from Soudal was the first to summit Monte Ceneri, but on the descent the peloton configuration was revolutionized again. The breakaway of the day was not consolidated until almost 40 kilometers after the official start, made up of 14 runners among whom were Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain), Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek), Romain Grégoire (Groupama), Marcel Camprubí (Q36.5) or Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor).
The distance between these cyclists and the peloton did not exceed two minutes in the first section of the stage, which was quite steep. On the plain below, that lead was close to reaching three minutes, while the UAE team pulled from behind to close the gap, without much success.
They decide the increases
At the foot of the mountain, the escapees had just over two minutes ahead. As the climb to Fanghi progressed, that difference was reducing. The first attack to select the group was carried out by Afonso Eulálio, demonstrating the bravery that led him to wear the ‘pink jersey’ in the Giro. Only four other runners could follow him.
Behind, the pace of Brandon McNulty (UAE) at the front of the peloton was also leaving potential rivals behind and they topped the pass just 1:15 behind Eulálio’s group, which had recovered strength on the descent. Tadej Pogacar himself took the lead of the pack and the difference was less than a minute.
Then the Slovenian moved. With Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) at their wheel, the two together crested the climb to Via Consiglio Mezzano, caught Eulálio, who had stayed behind his fellow escapees, and desperately set out for the rest of the escapees.
The trio had to cut more than 30 seconds in less than 10 kilometers. Although they stayed very close, a few seconds away, they were unable to catch the survivors of the escape. In the final sprint among the escapees, the victory went to Grégoire, with the Spanish Marcel Camprubí (Q36.5) in second position.
This Friday, the third day of the Tour of Switzerland will cover 157.9 kilometers, starting and finishing in Bad Ragaz. It starts like a real mountain day, with two top-class climbs (Wildhaus and Schwägalp Passhöhe), but ends with favorable terrain for sprinters who have managed to survive.
