Mount Baker Hillclimb - REGISTER NOW!
United States | Midwest | Ohio >> Van Poppel takes stage win for Sky in 2nd stage of Tour de Yorkshire

Danny Van Poppel takes stage win for Team Sky in 2nd stage of the Tour de Yorkshire

The 136km stage from Otley to Doncaster had two small climbs earlier in the stage and another small ascent with 40km to go but apart from that, the terrain was flat, meaning that another bunch sprint was expected.

An early break of 6 riders, 4 Britain's, went on the attack and after 10km of racing, had established an advantage of 2 minutes.

At 50km to go, Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) manged to bridge across the gap which was down to around around 1 minute and 40 seconds.

Groenewegen's team LottoNL-Jumbo, along with BMC, Sky and Orica-GreenEdge were forced to chase the now 7 man breakaway.

The breakaway split on the final climb of Conisbrough Castle with Edmondson, Steels, Edet, Morkov pushing on with only a lead of 30 seconds.

Riding into the headwind, the breakaway was never going to succeed, and was reeled back in, with 10 km's to go.

Orica-GreenEdge were driving the peleton trying to set up Caleb Ewan for the sprint.

But Van Poppel (Team Sky) and Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) surged forwards with 200 metres to go.

Van Poppel claimed his first victory in Team Sky colours, just ahead of Groenewegen in a close photo finish!

Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin) came in for third, with Britain's Chris Opie (One Pro Cycling) in fourth.

The KOM award went to Richard Handley (ONE Pro Cycling) who was in the orginal breakaway and Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) won the Dimension Data most combative award.

Sunday's final stage three from Middlesbrough to Scarborough tackles the infamous Sutton Bank, the first of six King of the Mountain points in just one stage. Riders then head over the North York Moors and down towards Scarborough for what promises to be a thrilling finale and a race to the very end.

Stage 3 could be one for the climbers and Groenewegen's (LottoNL-Jumbo) will have to chase for any chance of securing his win.

Should make for an Epic final day of racing in this year's Tour de Yorkshire!

Results Stage 2 Tour de Yorkshire

1 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky 3:04:20
2 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
3 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
4 Chris Opie (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
5 Loïc Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
6 Albert Torres Barcelo (Spa) Team Raleigh Gac
7 Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team
8 Christopher Lawless (GBr) JLT Condor
9 Russell Downing (GBr) JLT Condor
10 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-GreenEdge
 

General Classification after stage 2

1 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 8:13:15
2 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky 0:00:06
3 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:08
4 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 0:00:10
5 Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
6 Gruffudd Lewis (GBr) Madison Genesis 0:00:12
7 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:13
8 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct Energie 0:00:14
9 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data 0:00:15
10 Richard Handley (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
11 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
12 Christopher Lawless (GBr) JLT Condor 0:00:16
13 Floris Gerfs (Ned) BMC Racing Team
14 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie
15 Albert Torres Barcelo (Spa) Team Raleigh Gac
16 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-GreenEdge
17 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
18 Loïc Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
19 Russell Downing (GBr) JLT Condor
20 Dion Smith (NZl) ONE Pro Cycling
 
Groenewegen's (LottoNL-Jumbo) team will have to chase for any chance of securing his win