German Marcel Kittel confirmed he was back to his best when he claimed the second stage of the Giro d’Italia in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
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Dumoulin took the overall lead by winning stage one’s individual time trial and then defended the jersey by finishing safely in the peloton on stage two. Something unique and I’m very, very proud.
“Firstly I want to say chapeau to the people of the Netherlands for the great atmosphere on the road today”, Kittel said afterwards, with the race on Dutch soil.
“Today was really incredible and I enjoyed every second of it”, he added.
Kittel assured it was far from straightforward, saying: “It was a super tough day”.
Amador continued his stellar 2015 with a great showing in the Vuelta a España, the third and final Grand Tour race alongside its French and Italian counterparts, Amador’s Movistar Team finished first overall in the team category.
Kittel admitted hopes of a second successive stage win were kept in check by the windy conditions, and a stubborn breakaway that saw Johann Van Zyl solo away on his own with 12 km to race.
Van Zyl attacked from the break shortly after entering the second of two 14km circuits to the finish line, but a concerted effort from Etixx reeled in the South African cyclist, who was caught with less than two kilometers to go.
The teams of the sprinters lined up to get a bunch sprint and they succeeded.
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The race resumes on Tuesday after a long transfer to Catanzaro in Calabria – which remarkably will be maglia rosa Kittel’s first-ever stage of the race that he will have ridden in Italy itself.
