Julian Alaphilippe of QuickStep-AlphaVinyl at the start in the Orange Leader Jersey(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Julian Alaphilippe of QuickStep-AlphaVinyl rides on 176.8km stage 2 from Verviers to Herve(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Laurent Pichon of Arkéa-Samsic attacks(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Eddie Dunbar of Ineos Grenadiers goes on an attack(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Gianni Vermeersch of Alpecin-Deceuninck competes in the breakaway(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Fabian Lienhard of Groupama - FDJ in the Purple Sprint Jersey (Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Robert Stannard of Alpecin-Deceuninck celebrates winning the Orange Leader Jersey(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Fabian Lienhard of Groupama-FDJ celebrates takes the Purple Intermediate Sprint Jersey(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Gianni Vermeersch of Alpecin-Deceuninck celebrates the Polka Dot Mountain Jersey(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Oier Lazkano (Movistar) won stage 2 in Herve at the 2022 Tour de Wallonie. Second place was secured by Loic Vliegen (Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux) and Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) in third.
It was the first stage win of the season for the 22-year-old Spanish rider, who distanced his competitors for an uncontested sprint victory.
A solid pack of 16 riders joined forces as a lead group with 25km to go, the break of Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) and Lazkano reeled back. He would take initiative again with 4.6km to launch his final attack and take the win.
Australian Robert Stannard (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who was fourth on the stage, moved into the leader's jersey, the 23-year-old also claimed the best young rider classification prize.
Julian Alaphilippe (QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl), who started the day in the overall lead after winning Saturday's opener, dropped out of GC contention after losing touch on the rolling stage. The 30-year-old Frenchman finished over eight minutes down in Herve.
He later told Belgian news outlet La Dernière Heure that his legs "didn't respond" when the attacks started to fly, and that he "just wasn't good enough" on the day.
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UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Isaac del Toro takes second from chase-group sprint, Maximilian Schachmann finishes third and loses leader's jersey to Almeida
