Three UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders inside top 10 at Volta Comunitat Valenciana

Stage 2 of the Volta Comunitat Valenciana saw UAE Team Emirates-XRG place three riders inside the top 10, on a day that was majorly altered by the weather conditions.

Ran along a 17km course, stage 2 was an individual time trial that promised to set the tone between the general classification contenders. However, high winds in the region caused the day to be neutralised in the GC, with riders to complete the time trial on road bikes, and with only the stage win up for grabs.

Faced by strong winds, little to play for, and a deluge of rain, UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s João Almeida decided to prioritise safety on his run. The Portuguese rider’s major objectives will come in the next two hilly stages. His teammate, Felix Großschartner, meanwhile, overcame the wet roads to spend a good period of time in the hot seat.

Großschartner was ultimately overhauled by his own teammate Brandon McNulty, and both riders went on to secure commendable finishing positions in seventh and eighth, respectively. For the Emirati squad, their fastest rider was still to come.

As Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe secured the day’s win in his favoured discipline, his fellow Belgian Florian Vermeersch rode to fifth place for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. His efforts left him just 14 seconds shy of the day’s podium.

With the stage times not contributing to the general classification, Friday brings a clean slate for the race’s top climbers to do battle in the first of two challenging days in the mountains.

Volta Comunitat Valenciana stage 2 (ITT) results:

1. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) 20:12

2. Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +8″

3. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) +16”

5. Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +30″

7. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +35″

8. Felix Großschartner (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +49″

Volta Comunitat Valenciana general classification after stage 2:

1. Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) 3:25:31

2. Arne Marit (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +4”

3. Giovanni Lonardi (Team Polti VisitMalta) +6”

17. Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +10″