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Tour of Slovenia: Mezgec wins in rainy Ljubljana

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Cavendish and Bennett hits the deck as crashes mar finale

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Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) points to the sponsors

Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) points to the sponsors (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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The peloton spreads across the entire road

The peloton spreads across the entire road (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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The peloton ready to roll out

The peloton ready to roll out (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) moves into the race lead

Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) moves into the race lead (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) sprays the champagne

Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) sprays the champagne (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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Ziga Jerman (ROG-Ljubljana)

Ziga Jerman (ROG-Ljubljana) (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) points to the sky

Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) points to the sky (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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The breakaway in action

The breakaway in action (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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The fans came out to support the riders

The fans came out to support the riders (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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Bruno Maltar (Meridiana Kamen Team) leads the breakaway

Bruno Maltar (Meridiana Kamen Team) leads the breakaway (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)
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A red look to the front of the peloton

A red look to the front of the peloton (Image credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportida)

Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) claimed victory on stage 2 of the Tour of Slovenia, winning by a clear margin after crashes disrupted the final couple of kilometres in rainy Ljubljana. 

The wet roads made the pair of 90-degree left-hand bends treacherous, and race leader Sam Bennett's Bora-Hansgrohe lead-out man slid out just shy of the flamme rouge. A couple of hundred metres later Bennett himself went down, hitting the deck with Mark Cavendish and a number of other riders. 

Mezgec was leading, and took a look around before accelerating from long-range. Cavendish's lead-out man Mark Renshaw was sitting in second wheel but couldn't respond, with Roberto Ferrari coming through to take second place. Mezgec takes over atop the general classification as a result of his stage win.

“I am really, really happy,” Mezgec said. “We came so close yesterday to starting the race with a win and I’m overjoyed to have been able to get there today. It was a nervy finale with the slippery roads and crashes, but the boys were fantastic, they kept me at the front and out of trouble and then all I had to do was give it everything to the line.”

The stage was animated by a seven-man move featuring Andrea Vendrame (Androni-Sidermec-Bottecchia), Anton Vorobyev (Gazprom–RusVelo), Ivan Santaromita (Nippo-Vini Fantini), Gorazd Per (Adria Mobil), Enrico Salvador (Tirol Cycling Team), Tomaš Buchaček (Elekov-Author Cycling Team) and Bruno Maltar (Meridiana Kamen). The septet established a maximum lead of five minutes before Orica-Scott set about pegging them back. Santaromita, Per, Salvador and Buchacek were the final survivors, but they were swept up 15 kilometres from the finish in rain-soaked Ljubljana.

In the overall standings, Mezgec holds a lead of four seconds over stage 1 winner Sam Bennett. “It is my first win of the season and I’m very proud to have taken the victory here in the capital of my home country," Mezgec said. "It’s very special and it will be an honour for me to wear the race leader's jersey tomorrow.”

Results

#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-Scott3:50:51
2Roberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
3Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data
4Alois Kankovský (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
5Jirí Polnický (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
6Andrea Palini (Ita) Androni Sidermec
7Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
8Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini
9Rok Korošec (Slo) Amplatz - Bmc
10Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Dimension Data
11Tadej Pogacar (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
12Federico Zurlo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
13Maximilian Kuen (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
14Jure Golcer (Slo) Adria Mobil
15Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
16Alexander Porsev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
17Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates
18Sebastian Schönberger (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
19Paolo Totò (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
20Péter Kusztor (Hun) Amplatz - Bmc
21Domen Novak (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
22Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Amplatz - Bmc
23Izidor Penko (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
24Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-Scott
25Radoslav Rogina (Cro) Adria Mobil
26Michele Gazzarra (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
27Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
28Pawel Cieslik (Pol) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
29Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini
30Josip Rumac (Cro) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
31Luka Cotar (Slo) SLO
32Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
33Nicola Bagioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini
34Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina
35Clemens Fankhauser (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
36Mattia De Marchi (Ita) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
37Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
38Žiga Grošelj (Slo) Adria Mobil
39Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) Adria Mobil
40Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
41Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni Sidermec
42Enrico Salvador (Ita) Tirol Cycling Team
43Josef Cerný (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
44Tilen Finkšt (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
45Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda (Col) Wilier Triestina
46Matej Drinovec (Slo) SLO
47Gasper Katrasnik (Slo) Adria Mobil
48Matteo Draperi (Ita) Wilier Triestina
49Nicola Gaffurini (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
50Tomáš Buchácek (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
51Vojtech Hacecký (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
52Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
53Alexander Edmonson (Aus) Orica-Scott
54Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
55Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini
56Luca Pacioni (Ita) Androni Sidermec
57Alessandro Bisolti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini
58Alexander Foliforov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
59Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-Scott0:01:15
60Mitch Docker (Aus) Orica-Scott
61Žiga Jerman (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
62Marco Benfatto (Ita) Androni Sidermec0:01:19
63Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data
64Michael Kukrle (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team0:01:32
65Michele Scartezzini (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
66Simone Bernardini (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
67Elchin Asadov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
68Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-Scott
69Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
70Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Sidermec0:02:21
71Mirko Trosino (Ita) Wilier Triestina
72Matthias Krizek (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
73Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates0:02:23
74Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
75Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-Scott0:02:45
76Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data
77Davide Ballerini (Ita) Androni Sidermec
78Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
79Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:03:10
80David Per (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:03:14
81Gorazd Per (Slo) Adria Mobil
82Dusan Rajovic (Srb) Adria Mobil
83Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
84David Jabuka (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team
85Kanan Gahramanli (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
86Andreas Walzel (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
87Musa Mikayilzade (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
88Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
89Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe0:03:34
90Patrick Gamper (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team0:03:42
91Matic Grošelj (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
92Dennis Paulus (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
93Jaka Primožic (Slo) SLO
94Florian Gaugl (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
95Daniel Eichinger (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
96Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team
97Andreas Graf (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
98Primož Obal (Slo) SLO
99Mateo Frankovic (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team
100Martin Hunal (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
101Dominik Hrinkow (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
102Erik Baska (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
103Valens Ndayisenga (Rwa) Tirol Cycling Team
104Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
105Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-Hansgrohe
106Andi Bajc (Slo) Amplatz - Bmc
107Ion Ander Insausti Irastorza (Spa) Bahrain-Merida
108Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Sidermec
109Niccolo' Salvietti (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
110Pavel Brutt (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
111Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina
112Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina
113Marek Canecky (Svk) Amplatz - Bmc
114Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina
115Robert Jenko (Slo) SLO
116Tadej Logar (Slo) SLO
117Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo0:03:53
118Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
119Filippo Fortin (Ita) Tirol Cycling Team
120Roger Kluge (Ger) Orica-Scott
121Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo0:04:00
122Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:04:03
123Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:04:05
124Enver Asanov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
125János Zsombor Pelikán (Hun) Amplatz - Bmc
126Ismail Iliasov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
127Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina
128Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:04:58
129Gianfranco Raffaele Visconti (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team0:06:08
130Gerd Fidler (Aut) Amplatz - Bmc
131Nils Friedl (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
132Aljaž Prah (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
133Žiga Rucigaj (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
134Uroš Repše (Slo) Meridiana Kamen Team
135Marko Pavlic (Slo) SLO
136Jon Božic (Slo) Adria Mobil
137Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini
138Samir Jabrayilov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
139Emanuel Kiserlovski (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team
140Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Androni Sidermec
141Matej Mugerli (Slo) Amplatz - Bmc0:06:15
142Davide Mucelli (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team
143Elgun Alizada (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
DNFKanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Bahrain-Merida
DNFBruno Maltar (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team
DNSJacques Willem Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
DNSDavide Orrico (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis

General Classification after stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-Scott7:40:23
2Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe0:00:04
3Roberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team Emirates0:00:08
4Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
5Žiga Jerman (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
6Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data0:00:10
7Tomáš Buchácek (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
8Nicola Bagioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:00:11
9Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:00:13
10Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:00:14
11Andrea Palini (Ita) Androni Sidermec
12Rok Korošec (Slo) Amplatz - Bmc
13Alois Kankovský (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
14Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
15Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates
16Tadej Pogacar (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
17Paolo Totò (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
18Alexander Porsev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
19Radoslav Rogina (Cro) Adria Mobil
20Jirí Polnický (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
21Domen Novak (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
22Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Dimension Data
23Péter Kusztor (Hun) Amplatz - Bmc
24Gasper Katrasnik (Slo) Adria Mobil
25Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
26Pawel Cieslik (Pol) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
27Federico Zurlo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
28Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
29Tilen Finkšt (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
30Michele Gazzarra (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
31Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
32Luka Cotar (Slo) SLO
33Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini
34Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda (Col) Wilier Triestina
35Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
36Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
37Vojtech Hacecký (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
38Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-Scott
39Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
40Izidor Penko (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
41Josip Rumac (Cro) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
42Dusan Rajovic (Srb) Adria Mobil
43Clemens Fankhauser (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
44Matej Drinovec (Slo) SLO
45Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina
46Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
47Alexander Edmonson (Aus) Orica-Scott
48Enrico Salvador (Ita) Tirol Cycling Team
49Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Amplatz - Bmc
50Josef Cerný (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
51Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-Scott
52Davide Ballerini (Ita) Androni Sidermec
53Maximilian Kuen (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
54Sebastian Schönberger (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
55Alexander Foliforov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
56Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
57Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni Sidermec
58Alessandro Bisolti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini
59Luca Pacioni (Ita) Androni Sidermec
60Nicola Gaffurini (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
61Jure Golcer (Slo) Adria Mobil
62Mattia De Marchi (Ita) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
63Matteo Draperi (Ita) Wilier Triestina
64Žiga Grošelj (Slo) Adria Mobil
65Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) Adria Mobil
66Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
67Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data
68Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina
69Mitch Docker (Aus) Orica-Scott0:01:29
70Marco Benfatto (Ita) Androni Sidermec0:01:33
71Michele Scartezzini (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis0:01:46
72Michael Kukrle (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
73Simone Bernardini (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
74Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
75Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-Scott0:01:57
76Elchin Asadov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project0:02:01
77Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Sidermec0:02:35
78Matthias Krizek (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team
79Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates0:02:37
80Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:03:24
81Gorazd Per (Slo) Adria Mobil0:03:25
82Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-Scott0:03:27
83David Per (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:03:28
84Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe0:03:48
85Patrick Gamper (Aut) Tirol Cycling Team0:03:56
86Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina
87Dennis Paulus (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
88Dominik Hrinkow (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
89Erik Baska (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
90Florian Gaugl (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
91Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
92Robert Jenko (Slo) SLO
93Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina
94Martin Hunal (Cze) Elkov - Author Cycling Team
95Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Sidermec
96Matic Grošelj (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
97Pavel Brutt (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
98Andi Bajc (Slo) Amplatz - Bmc
99Jaka Primožic (Slo) SLO
100Daniel Eichinger (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
101Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team
102Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina
103Marek Canecky (Svk) Amplatz - Bmc
104David Jabuka (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team
105Tadej Logar (Slo) SLO
106Andreas Graf (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang
107Valens Ndayisenga (Rwa) Tirol Cycling Team
108Filippo Fortin (Ita) Tirol Cycling Team0:04:07
109Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo
110Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo0:04:14
111Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:04:17
112Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:04:19
113Ismail Iliasov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
114János Zsombor Pelikán (Hun) Amplatz - Bmc
115Mateo Frankovic (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team0:04:24
116Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:05:12
117Žiga Rucigaj (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana0:06:22
118Samir Jabrayilov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project
119Emanuel Kiserlovski (Cro) Meridiana Kamen Team
120Aljaž Prah (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana
121Uroš Repše (Slo) Meridiana Kamen Team
122Marko Pavlic (Slo) SLO
123Gianfranco Raffaele Visconti (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team
124Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Androni Sidermec
125Davide Mucelli (Ita) Meridiana Kamen Team0:06:29
126Matej Mugerli (Slo) Amplatz - Bmc0:06:44
127Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data0:07:17
128Kanan Gahramanli (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project0:08:53
129Primož Obal (Slo) SLO0:09:24
130Musa Mikayilzade (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project0:09:26
131Niccolo' Salvietti (Ita) Sangemini - Mg. K Vis
132Mirko Trosino (Ita) Wilier Triestina0:09:58
133Andreas Walzel (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang0:10:51
134Ion Ander Insausti Irastorza (Spa) Bahrain-Merida0:11:19
135Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data0:11:30
136Jon Božic (Slo) Adria Mobil0:11:37
137Enver Asanov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project0:11:42
138Elgun Alizada (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling Project0:11:45
139Gerd Fidler (Aut) Amplatz - Bmc0:11:47
140Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-Hansgrohe0:11:51
141Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:12:00
142Roger Kluge (Ger) Orica-Scott0:12:02
143Nils Friedl (Aut) Hrinkow Advarics Cycleang0:13:45

Points Classification
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-Scott

Mountains Classification
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Luca Pacioni (Ita) Androni Sidermec

Best Young Rider
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Žiga Jerman (Slo) Rog - Ljubljana

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