CHAOTIC DASH
Merlier’s tribute win after sprinter hits barricades
BELGIAN Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) won stage two of the Giro d’Italia in dominating fashion, hitting out early at the 250m mark to defy the big name sprinters.
Aussie stage favourite Caleb Ewan was too far back in the hectic finale and finished a disappointing 10th, never getting the chance to unleash his renowned burst of speed.
And Ewan was spot on with his pre-stage prediction that it would be chaotic.
It certainly was and it’s the first time I remember a sprinter being taken out by his own teammate. But that’s exactly what happened to Colombian ace Fernando Gavaria, who was in a perfect position in the final 200m when his Deceuninck Quickstep lead-out man and compatriot Juan Sebastian Molano inadvertently ran him into the barricades.
Gaviria hit the barricade with plenty of force but miraculously managed to stay upright, proving the new barricade system is working.
Italian Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka Assos) sprinted strongly for second and
Italian Elia Viviani (Cofidis) just pipped a disappointed Dylan Groenewegen (JumboVisma) for the final spot on the podium.
Merlier’s victory was all the more meritorious as it was the 27-year-old’s first start in a Grand Tour but his fourth sprint win this season.
“I’m really happy, really proud of taking a Grand Tour win,” he said.
“I knew there was a roundabout that was really important in the end. When I saw it I knew I was in a good position.
“When I came out I was thinking we need to go faster, faster, faster. I went from far out — 250m — but in the end, it was enough. This is a big victory.”
As he crossed the line, Merlier raised his arms in the familiar victory salute but also held up his fingers to form a W to remember fellow
Belgian Wouter Weylandt, who tragically died after a crash at the Giro d’Italia 10 years ago.
The stage was always going to be one for the sprinters with the early three-man breakaway never given too much rein. They were hauled in just before the vital intermediate sprint with 25km to go which also awarded time bonuses of 3-2-1 seconds.
Surprisingly DeceuninckQuickstep decided to lead out young Belgian Remco Evenepoel but even more surprisingly it was race leader Italian Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) who pipped him for the prize.
“I sprinted just for taking the seconds, not so much to keep the pink jersey but to take away time from the other GC leaders and so to help Egan (Bernal) and Pavel (Sivakov) in the GC in the next few days,” Ganna said.