Jasper Philipsen opens account for 2024 with sprint win on stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico 2024

Alpecin-Deceuninck's Jasper Philipsen has taken the win after a frantic bunch sprint on stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico 2024 in Follonica.

With a four-man breakaway forming relatively early on, including star of the 2023 Giro d'Italia, Davide Bais, they were held on a very tight leash by the peloton.

After taking the maximum points at the intermediate sprint, Jan Stöckli continued on with his attack, maintaining the breakaway solo as his former companions were caught. With around 36km to go though, he too had been swallowed by the bunch.

With a few narrow pinch points, the battle for positioning at the front of the peloton was becoming frantic as an expected, bunch sprint finale neared.

At around 17km to go, disaster struck for one of the pre-stage hopefuls, Mark Cavendish with an untimely puncture with things not helped by a very pedestrian wheel change that all but ruled him out of the upcoming sprint.

Just under 5km to go there was a small crash with Chris Froome and Simone Velasco among the riders to hit the deck.

The main GC stars managed to safely navigate their way through the 3km to go marker though the sprint teams then taking full control at the front.

In the sprint to the line it was frantic with riders everywhere and leadouts scattered. Tim Merlier opened the sprint but Jasper Philipsen powered around to take a relatively comfortable victory. Biniam Girmay completing the podium.

Results powered by FirstCycling.com