27/04/2023

Ethan Hayter sprints to victory on stage two of the Tour de Romandie and takes the overall race lead

Ethan Hayter has taken victory from a reduced bunch sprint on stage two of the Tour de Romandie taking the overall lead of the race in the process.

Stage two from Morteau to La Chaux-de-Fonds was a traditional day in Romandie, in which the race was expected to be very open. With everyone from pure climbers, puncheurs and even sprinters feeling like they will be in with a chance, a three-man breakaway was formed including Julien Bernard (Trek - Segafredo), Gleb Brussenskiy (Astana Qazaqstan Team) and Tom Bohli (Tudor Pro Cycling Team).

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With just under 50km to go the leading trio became a duo as despite a valiant effort to hold the wheel, Tom Bohli was dropped on the climb of the Col de la Vue des Alpes.

With 30km to go and the peloton breathing down their necks, Brussenskiy made one last attempt to ride clear although it was ultimately in vein.

Meanwhile at the other end of the peloton, race leader Ethan Vernon dropped out the back, not managing to keep up with the infernal pace being set by Jumbo-Visma and Robert Gesink.

In truth, a considerable amount of riders were struggling to match the pace being set by the men in yellow and black as the peloton continued to reduce.

As the peloton took the final ascent of the Le Communa climb the race exploded with multiple attacks at the front of the race. Despite this however, the bunch crested the top all together and the descent to the line was on.

As the descent turned into more of false flat, the attacks started once again but similarly to the ones on the climb none of the probing moves successfully broke the elastic and soon the INEOS Grenadiers took to the front to try and control things.

Gino Mader, Thibaut Pinot and Juan Ayuso all made attempts to get clear but as they came through the flamme rouge it was still all together with Egan Bernal on the front of the peloton.

Ethan Hayter launched his sprint first and powered to a stage win in a perfect demonstration of a sprint lead out train from the INEOS Grenadiers ahead of Juan Ayuso in second and Romain Bardet in third.