Averin shines at second stage of Tour d'Azerbaidjan
The second stage of Tour d'Azerbaidjan 2016 started from the brand-new Baku 2015 Velo Park – located in the highlands of the seaside of Shikh settlement, Baku.
After an exciting final through the streets of Ismayilli region, Maksym Averin scored a home victory for Synergy Baku Cycling Project. The win is the first for the Azerbaijani rider at the home race, and a great boost for the development of cycling in Azerbaijan.
"My first victory of this year, we made a long way for this,” Averin said following his victory.” In the Tour of Croatia we already showed our strength, there I did my role to support our leaders there and today the team helped me out during today's stage. I'm very happy and really proud of this performance. It was a perfect sprint, but I knew the final corners. I was in perfect position and I'm really happy with the win."
The second place went to Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels) and third to Alberto Cecchin (Team Roth).
Averin was part of a small group that survived to the finish after breaking clear over the final climb, along with the Canadian champion, Guillaume Boivin, of the Cycling Academy Team. With Boivin's higher placing over the two stages so far in this Tour d'Azerbaidjan he assumes the lead in the general classification.
Guillaume Boivin said : “This wasn't the first goal for today, but being in the top five in the first two stages gave me this jersey. It was a tough day today so I'm really happy with this result. I'm not a climber, so I'm just going to enjoy it for tonight and we'll see how it works out the following days. But for sure we're really happy that on today's Holocaust Memorial Day, being part of an Israelian team, we got this jersey."
The mountain jersey also swapped shoulders today, as Mauro
Finetto (Unieuro Wilier) took the KOM points on offer at the first
two climbs of today's stage. The sprint jersey is also a reward for
Boivin, who has placed highly and scored points in both stage
finishes so far.
It was under sunny skies that the peloton left the Velo Park in
Baku and took off for the 187 kilometer stage to Ismayilli. There
were multiple attempts to form a breakaway before one finally got
clear, with nine riders gaining a maximum advantage of 1'30" before
being caught with much of the stage still to race.
The breakaway of the day finally escaped from the peloton after 30
KM, staying in front for the majority of the stage, and building a
maximum advantage of 1'50". With six riders involved in this
escape, Brra - Argon 18 was keen to keep their advantage in check
and gradually closing them down.
It was at 50 KM from the finish line in Ismayilli that the
breakaway was caught by the chasing peloton. Shortly after the
re-grouping, two riders tried to get clear heading into the final
of the stage: Daniel Turek (Cycling Academy Team) and William
Clarke (Drapac Pro Cycling).
However, it was not to be for this duo either, and just before the
start of the final climb the whole peloton was back together. On
the climb, a dangerous group of seventeen riders formed at the
front. From this first peloton, William Clarke (Drapac Pro Cyling)
again attacked. After taking the KOM points at the top of the
climb, Clarke continued to press on in front of the chasing group.
Nikita Stalnov (Astana City) joined him at the front of the race,
heading into the final 20 KM.
After the 3 KM to go sign, the two leaders were caught by the
second chasing group. It was this final selection that went all the
way to the finish, deciding the stage honours in a sprint, with
Averin being the fastest on the day.
Results of the second day of the race are the following:
Stage 2 - Baku - Ismayilli
1. Maksym Averin (Synergy Baku Cycling Project), 186.5 km in
04h29'45''
2. Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels ), s.t.
3. Alberto Cecchin (Team Roth), s.t.
4. Guillaume Boivin (Cycling Academy Team), s.t.
5. Daniel Schorn (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels), s.t.
General Classification
1. Guillaume Boivin (Cycling Academy Team), 08h04'04''
2. Daniel Schorn (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels), s.t.
3. Alberto Cecchin (Team Roth), s.t.
4. Maksym Averin (Synergy Baku Cycling Project),
5. Markus Eibegger (Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels ), s.t.
Jerseys
Blue “Synergy” (leader): Guillaume Boivin (Cycling Academy
Team)
Red “AZAL” (mountain): Mauro Finetto (Unieuro Wilier)
Green “SOCAR” (points): Guillaume Boivin (Cycling Academy Team)
Magenta “Ata” (young): Ildar Arslanov (Gazprom-Rusvelo)
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