Preview - Vuelta a Espana 2022 stage 2

The peloton will once again finish in Utrecht, however on the second stage of the Vuelta a Espana it will be at the end of a road stage, with the start a little far south down in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. It will be an almost pan-flat day, ideal for the pure sprinters, and should see the first bunch sprint.

Most of the day will be on simple wide roads, with only a small hilltop counting as a fourth category so as to see a KOM classification leader at the end of the day. With 16.4 kilometers to go there will be an intermediate sprint with bonifications alongside, which may see a fight to get some minimal seconds, or a race lead change.

The stage will be mostly about the finale in Utrecht. This time outside the center, the race will ride through some tricky streets from 6.5 to 2 kilometers to go, which will be tense as crashes can well cause splits in the group at those points. Into the final 2 kilometers the road straightens out though, with a slight tilt to the left in the final kilometer for what should be a regular sprint finish.

**** Tim Merlier

*** Pascal Ackermann, Sam Bennett

** Gerben Thijssen, Kaden Groves, Mads Pedersen

* Bryan Coquard, Ethan Hayter, Jake Stewart, Danny van Poppel