Wallonia Tour: Oier Lazkano (Movistar) wins stage two at Herve

The second stage of Sunday’s Tour de Wallonie was contested between Verviers and Herve in the heat and in the bumps of the Ardennes. Today’s scenario was a perfect fit for Spaniard Oier Lazkano (Movistar), who gave Hervé one of the best successes of his young career. French world champion Julien Alaphilippe lost the leader’s orange jersey to Australian Robert Stannard (Alpecin Dekoninc). The second stage of the Tour de Wallonie left Verviers in the glorious sun, which invited the first attackers to try their luck, but to no avail. Several breakaway attempts occurred in the first hour of the race where we saw the orange jersey of French general classification leader Julien Alaphilippe, leading the first “bonus” race at Opel.

Six riders ended up getting out of the peloton after more than 50 kilometers of the race, before the first difficulty, Trasenster Coast: Edward Theon (Trek-Segafredo), Ben Swift (Ineos), Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Soudal), Oier Lazkano Lopez ( Movistar), Ivo Alves Oliveira (United Arab Emirates) and Gianni Veermeersch (Alpecin-Fenix). The group advantage arrived more than 3 minutes before the coast of Hautregard, the second difficulty of the day at 110 kilometers from the finish. The men’s advantage peaked at 4:40 ahead of the Maquisart team. The next climb, at Lorcé, allowed Campinaarts, Lazcano and Vermeersch to isolate themselves at the front. The latter would have been dropped from the lead ahead of La Redoute, who crossed the morning’s survivors, Campenaerts and Lazkano, with a 2:50 margin over the Cofidis-led peloton.

Thirteen passengers left the peloton after La Redoute hill, 57 kilometers from the finish. This collection was taken at the Côte de Cornesse by peloton. A new attack of fifteen riders took place before the first crossing of the line 28 kilometers from the goal. This group reintegrated Campenaerts and Lazkano who managed to regain the advantage in the last five kilometers to beat Herve as he signed on 22 which is one of his most successful career. He was ahead of Loc Vliegen and Jesus Herrada who attempted a futile crossroads at the last hectometer.

The orange jersey of Tour de Wallonie leader passed over the shoulders of Australian Robert Stannard.

The third stage of the Tour de Wallonie will be contested on Monday between Visé and Rochefort over a distance of 195.2 kilometres.