Tour de l'Ain: Markel Beloki takes second straight stage win for EF Education-EasyPost in Lagnieu

Markel Beloki gave EF Education-EasyPost their second victory in the Tour de l'Ain, clipping away from a ten-rider breakaway on the descent from the Col de Portes and then soloing to the stage win and race lead.

Beloki's first professional victory came on a testing 161.9 kilometre stage from Saint-Vulbas to Lagnieu that included two ascents of the Col de Portes in the second half.

An early breakaway of four included Jason Tesson (TotalEnergies), Maximillien Juillard (Vélo Club Villefranche Beaujolais), Morné Van Niekerk (Vélo Club Villefranche Beaujolais), and Kenny Molly (Van Rysel-Roubaix).

Tesson was already dropped as they made their way up the the 14.6km long Col de Portes for the first time. With less than 30 seconds on the peloton, Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies) scrambled across to the remaining three.

On the descent, Van Niekerk pulled away with Gachignard, with Molly and Juillard in pursuit, but the next climb of the Col de Portes caused a massive shift in the race situation.

Gachignard was the last caught by a group of 10 riders, with Rémi Arsac (Decathlon CMA CGM), Jamie Meehan (Cofidis), Geoffrey Bouchard (TotalEnergies), Axel Mariault (CIC), Jefferson Cepeda and Markel Beloki (EF Education-EasyPost), Nicola Conci (XDS Astana), Huw Buck Jones (Bourg-en-Bresse Ain), Henrique Bravo and Jose Said Cisneros (Soudal-Quickstep Devo).

Bravo made a move near the summit, splitting the group with Beloki, Meehan and Mariault following him across the top with 25.4km to go. On the descent the leaders came back together to try to hold off the chasing peloton without Bouchard.

The Frenchman was joined in the pursuit by Noa Isidore (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Adam Howell (Bourg-en-Bresse Ain) but they were still trailing inside 10km to go when Beloki attacked just before the end of the descent and opened up a massive lead.

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