Wout van Aert claimed the leader’s red jersey in the Vuelta a España after sprinting to second place in a chaotic stage 2 finish in Ourém. The Belgian rider now leads the general classification, though the day wasn’t without its setbacks for Visma-Lease a Bike as teammate Dylan van Baarle was forced to abandon the race following a crash.
The 194-kilometre stage from Cascais to Ourém saw two early breakaway riders caught by the peloton long before the finish. Van Baarle, who recently returned from injury, was involved in a crash with 49 kilometres to go. Despite his attempts to continue, he was ultimately unable to finish the stage, adding to a challenging season for the Dutchman.
Meanwhile, Van Aert, who was only three seconds off the race lead after the opening time trial, was perfectly positioned for the final sprint, thanks to a strong lead-out from Edoardo Affini. However, the win went to Kaden Groves, who powered past Van Aert to claim the stage. The Australian, riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, secured his first victory of the season despite a challenging run-in, including being isolated from his teammates due to a series of mechanical issues.
Reflecting on the stage, Van Aert expressed mixed feelings: “Of course I really wanted to win the stage, but the red jersey also makes up for something. I knew Groves would be a great competitor for this sprint. Edoardo prepared the sprint well, but it was difficult to time my launch perfectly. In hindsight, Groves turned out to be faster than me. It was a deserved win for him.”
Groves, who had a less than ideal lead-up to the race with injuries and illness, was delighted with his victory, saying, “I saw the route and my results already show I can survive these hard stages. It’s always a tough one here, but I came through okay.” He also acknowledged the difficulties his team faced: “My teammates were unlucky with their mechanicals and that really changed things because I’d planned to go for it from the front. But in the end [Edoardo] Affini went for it, and I could use that to get into the position I wanted.”
Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) also had a day to remember – though not in the way he had hoped. The Czech rider was caught up in a fan-related crash on the climb of Alto da Batalha, forcing him into a solo chase to regain contact with the peloton. Despite his best efforts, the 22-year-old, who currently leads the best young rider classification, was unable to contest the final sprint and finished 44th. After the stage, Vacek voiced his frustrations: “It’s a bit annoying that some people just don’t care and don’t let the riders pass with some space, but that’s how it is. I came safe into the finish and I’m happy that I’m OK.”
Despite the setbacks, Vacek retained his white jersey and sits third overall, five seconds behind Van Aert. Looking ahead, Van Aert acknowledged the challenge of holding onto the red jersey with the first summit finish looming on stage 4 at Pico Villuercas: “This week was my best chance to take the red, and there are lots of opportunities further on for stages. I’ve already tried twice for a stage here in two days, and I will try again.”
As for Van Baarle, the loss is a significant one for Visma-Lease a Bike, particularly for Sepp Kuss, who counted on the Dutchman’s support in the mountains. Speaking after the stage, Affini admitted, “It’s a big blow to start the Vuelta with. Dylan is an exceptional rider and we will miss him for sure.” Nonetheless, the team remains confident in Kuss’s ability to defend his title, with Van Aert stating, “My main goals from now on, in any case, are to collect points for green, win a stage and be as much support as I can for Sepp.”
2024 Vuelta a Espana Stage 2 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Unipublic/Cxcling/Beatriz Martinez
