Giro d'Italia: Viviani wins high-speed sprint in Tel Aviv

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Elia Viviani lived up to expectations to win the chaotic stage 2 sprint finish in Tel Aviv at the Giro d'Italia. The Italian lost his Quick-Step Floors lead-out but played it cool and came from behind. When Jakub Mareczko (Wilier Triestina) jumped early, Viviani got on his wheel and then surged past him to win. Mareczko held on for second place, with Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) third.

"It wasn't easy to win. I'm usually calm but it wasn't easy to do well after a good start to season but then a stop, then starting again. I felt the pressure that I was the rider to beat," Viviani said.

"It was difficult to stay together in the finale, so I used the team to keep the speed high. Then I got on Bennett's wheel. The others hesitated but I knew somebody would do something and was ready. When Mareczko I got on him and then did my sprint. It was important to read it right."

Rohan Dennis (BMC) is the new race leader and pulled on the pink jersey after taking three precious bonus seconds by winning the second intermediate sprint. He finished in the peloton, with Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb), who was happy to let the maglia rosa go. The Australian now leads the GIro d'Italia by one second over Dumoulin and three seconds to Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Fix All).

Dennis admitted that he really didn't want the pressure of going for the intermediate sprint but he was honoured to take he pink jersey.

"I have to thank the team. I didn't want to sprint today to be honest. I didn't want to because the guys would then have to ride. I wanted to leave the pressure on Sunweb but they said: 'No, we back you,' so I have thank them," Dennis said.

"Of course now I'd like to keep the pink jersey but 19 more stages is a long way to go. I've got a lot of things to learn before I start think of pink jerseys and Rome. That's a dream. I've got to be realistic and try to learn from guys like Dumoulin. But I'm going to enjoy this pink jersey, it's an honour."

Sunday's 229km third stage is from Be’er Sheva to Eliat south through the Israel desert.

How it happened

The riders lined-up under a warm sun, happy to finally start road racing after arriving in Israel on Tuesday and riding just 9.7km on Friday's opening time trial stage.

During the 11.9km-neutralised section, riders were packed up close to the bumper of the race director's car, and the first attack came as soon as the flag dropped, and the race was on.

Davide Ballerini (Androni Giocattoli) got away and was joined by Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Fix All) and Guy Niv (Israel Cycling Academy). The peloton let them go, but other riders changed their minds and lead the chase to produce gruppo compatto.
However, Ballerini went again and as joined by Lars Bak (Lotto Fix All). Niv tried to join them but had spent too much earlier.

Fortunately, the peloton eased after a crash in Acres and so Guillaume Boivin (Israel Cycling Academy) took the opportunity to jump across to create a three-rider break.

Ballerini won the first intermediate sprint as Viviani took fourth place in the bunch sprint to take eight points in the points competition.

The stage seemed set to follow a traditional path, but then BMC moved to the front and began to chase the break. The gap was initially three minutes, but it melted under the hot sun and was soon less than a minute. BMC really believed that Dennis could win the second sprint and take the pink jersey. Perhaps they had struck a deal with other teams to help them take the race lead in exchange for help later in this year's Giro d'Italia.

Bardiani-CSF take the early lead the mountain competition

The day's only categorised climb was held over the category 4 Zikhron Ya'Aqov, at the 91km mark (75km to go). The punchy ascent was vital because it offered the first mountain points and the winner would be assured the lead of the mountain classification at the Giro d'Italia, and wear the blue jersey during stage 3.

Due to BMC's intense chase, the breakaway of three riders just barely made it to the base of the climb ahead of the peloton. Behind Enrico Barbin (Bardiani-CSF) jumped across to them and the four fought to be first to the summit.

Boivin launched his attack first and was swarmed by fans running and cheering behind him on the ascent. He gained a small lead on his breakaway rivals, but as he approached the top of the climb, his legs fatigued. Barbin kicked with a powerful sprint to cross the line first and take the glory.

It was a disappointment for Boivin, who punched his handlebars but it was a celebration for Barbin and his Italian team Bardiani-CSF, proud to take the first climber's jersey of the race with a one-point lead over Boivin and two points ahead of Ballerini.

Dennis wins bonus sprint and takes pink

As soon as Barbin eased up over the summit, BMC dragged the peloton to the remains of the break and prepared for their moment. The second intermediate sprint of the day was located just 14km later at the 105.3km mark in Caesarea.

The sprint offered a time bonuses of three seconds to the winner, and with only two seconds separating the top three in the overall classification, the maglia rosa was Dumoulin's to lose.

Dennis and Campenaerts, who placed second and third, respectively in the stage 1 time trial, started the day at two seconds behind stage winner Dumoulin. The Dutchman hinted that he would not defend the race lead so early into the three-week tour.

As BMC lead the peloton at high speed, Dumoulin stayed hidden in the peloton as he tried to surrender his maglia rosa.
BMC did a perfect lead-out for Dennis on the rising finish.

Campenaerts opened a sprint from the outside of the peloton, but he was no match for Dennis. The Australian took a straight line along the barriers, and so took the three seconds bonus. Viviani came up too late, and so Dennis became virtual maglia rosa by one second ahead of Dumoulin and three seconds ahead of Campenaerts.

The peloton eased after the climb and the sprint as they faced a head/side wind along the coast road to Tel Aviv. However, Boivin wanted to show off the Israel Cycling Academy jersey and attacked alone. The peloton was happy to let him go and let him hang off the front before the sprint teams took over in the high-speed sprint finish.

The sprint finale began with 20km to go, as the teams lined up to protect their overall leaders and ride for their sprinters. No one team had the strength or desire to lead-out the sprint, with the series of tight city-centre turns shuffling the front of the pack.

LottoNL-Jumbo tried to line out the peloton and so did Katusha but other teams surged ahead as they fought for position.

Wout Poels (Team Sky) suffered a mechanical and lost 40 seconds. However, all the other GC riders managed to avoid the chaos and finish together.

The Quick-Step Floors team finally emerged after the final left turn with 600 metres to go but Viviani was on their wheel, causing them to panic and sit up. He had used his track instinct in the complex finale and opted to follow Sam Bennett. When Mareczko opened up along the barriers, he jumped on his wheel to get the perfect lead-out to his second career victory at the Giro d'Italia.

He also took the cyclamen points jersey and made himself the favourite for the expected second sprint at the end of Sunday's 229km third stage from Be'er Sheva to Eliat through the Israel desert.

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