MADRID, March 19, 2013 (AFP) – Belgian rider Gianni Meersman retained the
overall lead in the Tour of Catalonia after making it two stages wins in as
many days on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old beat home Italian Daniele Ratto and Brett Lancaster of
Australia in a sprint finish to the 160.7km ride from Girona to Banyuls.
Meersman sits atop the overall standings, 16sec ahead of Spain’s Alejandro
Valverde with Swiss Danilo Wyss a further four second adrift.
Meersman benefited from a crash on the final bend which saw several
contenders for the stage win come to grief or being hindered so badly they had
no chance of recovering.
On Wednesday the overall favourites for the title such as Tour de France
champion Bradley Wiggins should come to the fore as the riders face their
first tough challenge with the 180km ride climaxing at the ski station of
Vallter 2000.
Tour of Catalonia results
MADRID, March 19, 2013 (AFP) – Results after Tuesday’s second stage of the
Tour of Catalonia on Tuesday, a 160.7km ride from Girona to Banyuls on Tuesday:
Stage:
1. Gianni Meersman (BEL/OPQ) 3hr 48min 9sec, 2. Daniele Ratto (ITA/CAN)
same time, 3. Brett Lancaster (AUS/GRE) s.t., 4. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/AG2R)
s.t., 5. Robert Wagner (GER/BLA) s.t., 6. Julian Simon (FRA/Sojasun) s.t., 7.
Maurits Lammertink (NED/VAC) s.t., 8. Laurent Pichon (FRA/FDJ) s.t., 9. Danilo
Wyss (ESP/BMC) s.t., 10. Manuele Mori (ITA/LAM) s.t.
Overall
1. Gianni Meersman (BEL/OPQ) 7hr 43min 46sec, 2. Alejandro Valverde
(ESP/MOV) at 16sec, 3. Danilo Wyss (SWI/BMC) 20, 4. Robert Gesink (NED/BLA)
20, 5. Dario Cataldo (ITA/SKY) 20, 6. David Lopez (ESP/SKY) 20, 7. Bradley
Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 20, 8. Jose Herrada (ESP/MOV) 20, 9. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM)
20, 10. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 20