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Tirreno-Adriatico 2019: Stage 2

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Hello and welcome to stage 2 of the 2019 Tirreno-Adriatico. Today's stage is the first road stage of the race and runs 195km from Camaiore to the uphill finish at Pomarance.

 

We're around ten minutes from the start of today's stage. At nearly 200km it's a long one but is only the third-longest of the race, with two stages measuring in at over 220km coming up in the next two days.

Here's an early look at today's finale. The climb is tough in places, but a 3km flat section slap-bang in the middle should mean that we'll see a fairly large group contest the closing stages.

The riders will be heading off now. From the off there's a hill to navigate (4.6km at 3.5%) before around 80km of flat roads.

Yesterday's opening team time trial saw Mitchelton-Scott take the victory, beating Jumbo-Visma and Team Sunweb by 7 and 22 seconds respectively. 

The opening TTT in Lido di Camaiore was overshadowed by a crash involving Bora-Hansgrohe, with Rafał Majka and Oscar Gatto both hitting the deck after a pedestrian crossed the road in front of them.

179km remaining from 189km

According to Velon's live tracking, the break is Markel Irizar (Trek-Segafredo), Stepan Kurianov (Gazprom-RusVelo), Mirco Maestri (Bardiani-CSF) and Sebastian Schönberger (Neri Sottoli-Selle Italia).

169km remaining from 189km

165km remaining from 189km

Around 3 minutes separate the break and the peloton now.

156km remaining from 189km

Deceuninck-Quick Step are known for their Twitter trivia during races, and they're taking advantage of this quiet period of the stage to dole out some Pisa facts.

145km remaining from 189km

While today's stage isn't one for the sprinters, there are a couple coming up – tomorrow and on Monday's stage 6.

Trek-Segafredo's veteran Markel Irizar is in the breakaway today. He is due to retire later this season after 16 years as a professional. We spoke to him about building a lengthy career as a domestique, and much more.

125km remaining from 189km

The break is reaching the end of the flat section now. It won't be too long until they're on the first climb of the day, the Castellina Marittima (3.9km at 4.9%). 

104km remaining from 189km

96km remaining from 189km

Berhane led the way over the climb. Schönberger, Bresciani and Irizar were next over the line.

80km remaining from 189km

The peloton is currently being led by Mitchelton-Scott. They've just gone through the feed zone.

65km remaining from 189km

59km remaining from 189km

Maestri took the intermediate sprint. He led Schönberger, Kurianov and Irizar over the line.

50km remaining from 189km

47km remaining from 189km

Irizar and Maestri were third and fourth on the climb.

Approaching the final 40km of the day and still the gap is hovering at around the 3:45 mark. Still Mitchelton-Scott working largely alone up front.

39km remaining from 189km

A bit of a cut on the right wrist and shoulder for Prades.

36km remaining from 189km

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Gianni Moscon (Sky) has abandoned the race. More as we get it. Possibly an illness?

23km remaining from 189km

20km remaining from 189km

Quick Step have Julian Alaphiliippe as their main option today.

16km remaining from 189km

A reminder of the final kilometres.

Just ten seconds for the break now.

13km remaining from 189km

Sagan drops off the back of the peloton. So that's him and Moscon out of contention for the win. Rafał Majka, who crashed yesterday, is with his teammate.

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The first 500 metres topped out at 16% and now the peloton are back on the flat for a kilometre. Then it kicks back up for 2km before easing off for 3km and rearing back up again for the final 2.5km.

6km remaining from 189km

6km remaining from 189km

They're heading uphill again now, though the gradient isn't too taxing.

5km remaining from 189km

Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) is second wheel. We're pretty much waiting for his attack now.

4km remaining from 189km

Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-Quick Step) briefly tries to get away but the Mitchelton-Scott pace is too high. He slots in at the head of the peloton.

3km remaining from 189km

Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) has gone on the attack!

2km remaining from 189km

Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) is attempting to make it across too.

2km remaining from 189km

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Roglič is still trying to power it forward.

1km remaining from 189km

Once again the leaders are brought back. 800 metres to go.

0km remaining from 189km

It looks like Alaphilippe or Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) are odds-on to win this.

Alaphilippe launches the sprint from second wheel. Van Avermaet reacts!

The Dutchman can't get past Alaphilippe on the run to the line. Another win for the Quick Step man!

Simon Clarke (EF Education First) took third.

Fifth win of the season for Alaphilippe. Six if you count the points classification at Colombia 2.1.

At the weekend he won Strade Bianche, while he also has two stages at the Vuelta a San Juan and one at Colombia 2.1 to his name in 2019.

It was Alberto Bettiol, not Simon Clarke, in third. Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal) and Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) were fourth and fifth.

Adam Yates takes over the overall race lead.

Here's the top ten on the stage.

The GC podium after stage 2

Alaphilippe speaks after his win:

That's the end of our live coverage for stage 2. Be sure to join us again for tomorrow's start-to-finish coverage!

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