Czech Tour: Raccani and Bais with the leaders

The Czech Tour had promised fatigue and spectacle: a promise fulfilled, in a second stage that made no concessions and put all the difficulty of a course made up of tears and climbs on the plate. Raising his arms on the finish line in Pustevny was Germany’s Florian Lipowitz: the Bora Hansgrohe man preceded the two Danes Hagenes and Johannessen. Lipowitz also took the leader’s jersey in the general classification, also complicit in the fall of Itamar Einhorn: the winner of yesterday’s stage abandoned the race and was transported to the hospital for checks.

Good news for our colors as well, with the good performance of Simone Raccani who finished 11th at 25″ from the winner and teammate Mattia Bais who finished 17th at 31″. And it is Giovanni Ellena, ds together with Biagio Conte for this stage race in the Czech Republic, who tells us how it went: “Mountain stage, which saw an initial breakaway of four riders without any of ours but it was just right. The breakaway was controlled by the Bora men and by us who were always united and always in front: the guys rode really well. On the last climb Bevilacqua had stomach problems and broke away as did Lonardi who as a sprinter could not stay with the best. The other five stayed with the small group that on the last climb went to play for the victory: well Raccani and well Bais who arrived in the same group, but I think all the guys did really well and gave a good image to the team.”

And Raccani, what did he think? “It rained all day today, we caught the breakaway right towards the end and on the last climb Bora and Jumbo set their pace. In the final Lipowitz managed to get away and we at the back played it out for placings, I am happy with the condition and hope to continue this race well. Tomorrow another tough stage, I will also try to defend the second position in the youth classification.”

Tomorrow another mountain stage: three GPMs and uphill finish after 161.5 km.