Tour de Romandie race leader Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) delivered his second win in as many days on Thursday in Porrentruy, Switzerland.
The Swiss rider was cued up perfectly in the final kilometer by a late rush from Etixx-Quick-Step whose riders were aiming to lead-out Julian Alaphilippe for the win. However, the young Frenchman had to settle for second place behind Albasini, who delivered a convincing kick in the final 200 meters to win by a couple bike lengths.
Many of the race’s GC contenders animated the final 20 kilometers of the 173.2km race.
Danilo Wyss (BMC) attacked with 13.5km to go, and soon, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Andrey Zeits (Astana) bridged up.
But with just over 10km to go, the trio was caught. Next, it was Vincenzo Nibali’s (Astana) turn to test his legs, delivering a counter-attack, albeit an unsuccessful one.
BMC launched another rider of the front, but again the peloton chased it back.
Nearing the final five kilometers, another GC favorite, Rigoberto Uran (Etixx-Quick-Step) took a dig at the front, but the field was intent on keeping things together for a bunch gallop.
Giant-Alpecin, Lampre-Merida, and Cannondale-Garmin cued up at the front of the bunch with five kilometers left.
After a great deal of work by Lampre, Etixx-Quick-Step took over in the last kilometer, but yellow jersey-wearer Albasini was poised perfectly. He made his jump after the final lefthand corner and blasted up the outside to win the stage handily, ahead of Alaphilippe. Damiano Caruso (Lampre-Merida finished third.
The post Take two: Albasini wins second Romandie stage, wearing yellow appeared first on VeloNews.com.
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