Outstanding ninth place for Hernaiz and an inconsequential crash for Bennassar in the second stage of the Giro

44ª Giro d´Italia U23
Etapa 2: Riccione – Imola (138,3 km)

The hills around Imola ensured movement and so it happened. The second stage of the Giro U23 was won by Juan Ayuso, the new overall leader, while Vicente Hernaiz finished in ninth place in the bunch sprint, eight seconds behind the winner.

The day was much more controlled than the opening one. There was no shortage of breakaway attempts, but the gap was always kept under control. The race reached the final part of the stage grouped together, with Monticino and Cima Gallisterna guaranteeing attacks. The negative note of the stage for the Foundation’s U23 rider came with the fall of Joan Martí Bennassar at around kilometre 40, although he later rejoined the peloton.

Vicente Hernaiz: “I’m really enjoying this Giro experience. I’m riding very well. Let’s see if in the next few days we can take some more steps or even a great joy. In today’s stage there was a lot of gas in the final part. The last few climbs were at full throttle, when you got to the top you dropped a bit and then it was back to the start again”. The rider from Laguna de Duero is now eighth overall, 18 seconds behind Ayuso. Twentieth is Fernando Tercero, 21 seconds behind.

“The race was similar to yesterday’s, but today it was controlled. We are still being conservative, because there is a lot of race left, but among the 60 riders who were in front with fifteen kilometres to go, we were leading the five of them. I’m happy with the performance of the guys. In the end it’s another day that has gone off without any major problems apart from the fall of Bennassar”, concludes director Rafa Díaz Justo.

For this Saturday, broken terrain again.