Giro 2021: Sprint triumph Merlier, Ganna cements lead

image: Cor VosTim Merlier wins the first bunch sprint of the Giro d'Italia ahead of Giacomo Nizzolo and Elia Viviani. Filippo Ganna extends his GC lead with a time bonus of 3 seconds. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2nd stage Giro d’Italia 2021

1. Tim Merlier (bel)
2. Giacomo Nizzolo (ita) s.t.
3. Elia Viviani (ita) s.t.
4. Dylan Groenewegen (nld) s.t.
5. Peter Sagan (svk) s.t.
6. Matteo Moschetti (ita) s.t.
7. Filippo Fiorelli (ita) s.t.
8. Lawrence Naesen (bel) s.t.
9. Davide Cimolai (ita) s.t.
10. Caleb Ewan (aus) s.t.

GC after stage 2
1. Filippo Ganna (ita)
2. Edoardo Affini (ita) + 0.13
3. Tobias Foss (nor) + 0.16
4. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.20
5. João Almeida (por) s.t.
6. Rémi Cavagna (fra) + 0.21
7. Jos van Emden (nld) s.t.
8. Max Walscheid (ger) + 0.22
9. Matthias Brändle (aut) + 0.25
10. Gianni Moscon (ita) + 0.26

11. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 0.27
29. Davide Formolo (ita) + 0.36
32. Pavel Sivakov (rus) + 0.37
35. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 0.41
36. Pello Bilbao (spa) s.t.
37. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
40. Egan Bernal (col) + 0.42
44. Felix Großschartner (aut) s.t.
50. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 0.44
52. George Bennett (nzl) s.t.
54. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
56. Marc Soler (spa) + 0.45
73. Jai Hindley (aus) + 0.49
78. Mikel Landa (spa) + 0.52
91. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.55

Race report
Shortly after the start Marengo, Tagliani and Albanese jump off the front. The trio opens up a gap of more than 5 minutes before the peloton takes them on a leash.

Moments after winning the KOM sprint Albanese drops back into the peloton, while the two remaining attackers are reeled in with 26 kilometres remaining.

Ganna gains a time bonus of 3 seconds in the second intermediate sprint of the day, Evenepoel takes 2.

The race comes down to a bunch sprint. Merlier is a class of his own and he wins the stage ahead of Nizzolo and Viviani.

Another interesting read: route 2nd stage 2021 Giro.