24 May 2013
South African cyclist Daryl Impey, riding for UCI ProTeam Orica-GreenEDGE, sprinted to victory in stage two of the five-day International Bayern-Rundfahrt in Bavaria, Germany on Thursday, just ahead of Team MTN-Qhubeka’s Gerald Ciolek. Adriano Malori of Lampre-Merida placed third.
The 199-kilometre stage included a very challenging category one and category two climb. “That was a hard stage and [a] nice surprise to win today. The Orica-Greenedge boys were solid as always, especially Simon Clarke, who set me up,” Impey tweeted afterwards.
He also dedicated his victory to his wife and new-born son Ayden, saying they give him extra motivation.
General classification
Impey moved to the top of the general classification, with Malori in second, three seconds behind the South African, and Ciolek in third, four seconds off the lead.
MTN-Qhubeka’s German star had finished fourth on the first stage and declared himself satisfied with second place behind Impey.
“I am, of course, very happy with second place on this extremely difficult stage. Because of my cold, I couldn’t prepare myself right, but it is going better than I expected,” Ciolek said.
‘We will attack again’
“In the end, we really had to work hard in order to get back to the head of the field. So at the finale I was missing a little bit of strength. Tomorrow we will attack again.”
MTN-Qhubeka Sports Director Jens Zemke commented: “Gerald Ciolek put in a really great performance. As a sprinter, to come over four difficult climbs and then be second in the sprint is simply fantastic.”
“In the finale, it didn’t look good for us at first. There were 15 men up front, with a 30-second gap, and we only had Gerald and Sergio Pardilla in the chase group. But in the end it worked out well for us and a large group came together to the finish.”
Queen stage
The Queen Stage of the Bayern Rundfahrt challenged the international roster of starters.
After a hectic start, a nine-man group formed which led the way until the difficult climb of Sankt Englmar. The peloton split as the stage continued on the difficult climbs, and near the end a 60-man group was at the lead.
Before the first crossing of the finish line, 13 riders got away and built up a dangerous lead of 30 seconds, but the chasers set to work and caught them in the last lap of the circuit course.
Friday
Friday’s third stage runs 196.8 kilometers from Viechtach to Kelheim. Although the profile of the stage resembles a saw blade, it is expected to end again in a mass sprint.
The 34th Bayern Rundfahrt runs over five stages and 785.4 kilometres from Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm in the Hallertau over the Bavarian forest to Nurnberg.
SAinfo reporter and Team MTN-Qhubeka
Would you like to use this article in your publication or on your website? See: Using SAinfo material
