Tour de Suisse 2019: LL Sánchez storms to glory with late attack, Asgreen new leader

Luis León Sánchez strikes with 12 kilometres remaining and powers to an impressive win in the hilly circuit race on the Tour de Suisse. Kasper Asgreen moves into the GC lead ahead of Peter Sagan, while Rohan Dennis drops to third. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2nd stage Tour de Suisse 2019

1. Luis León Sánchez (spa)
2. Peter Sagan (svk) + 0.06
3. Matteo Trentin (ita) s.t.
4. Kasper Asgreen (den) s.t.
5. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) s.t.
6. Michael Matthews (aus) s.t.
7. Omar Fraile (spa) s.t.
8. Sven Erik Bystrøm (nor) s.t.
9. Nathan Haas (aus) s.t.
10. Ben Swift (gbr) s.t.

GC after stage 2
1. Kasper Asgreen (den)
2. Peter Sagan (svk) s.t.
3. Rohan Dennis (aus) + 0.01
4. Michael Matthews (aus) s.t.
5. Lawson Craddock (usa) + 0.06
6. Stefan Küng (swi) + 0.10
7. Matteo Trentin (ita) + 0.17
8. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.18
9. Jonathan Castroviejo (spa) + 0.19
10. Yves Lampaert (bel) s.t.

16. Egan Bernal (col) + 0.24
23. Fabio Aru (ita) + 0.31
31. Simon Spilak (slo) + 0.39
36. Enric Mas (spa) + 0.44
61. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 1.29
83. Rui Costa (por) + 8.42

Race report
On the first climb to Schallenberg Guillaume van Keirsbulck, Gavin Mannion and Claudio Imhof open up a gap before Fabien Grellier bridges across. Imhof goes solo to carve out a gap of more than 4 minutes over the peloton, while the other attackers are reeled in around the halfway mark of the race.

In the intermediate sprint in Häbern, at kilometre 84, Peter Sagan pockets 2 seconds and Michael Matthews 1.

The main group tracks Imhof down with 37 kilometres remaining before Omar Fraile attacks 1 kilometre before the last time up to Schallenberg. Kasper Asgreen and Roland Thalmann rejoin him and Asgreen wins 3 seconds in the last intermediate sprint. The trio is brought back inside the last 18 kilometres, while Sagan and Matthews are struggling at the back of the reduced peloton.

Luis León Sánchez strikes with 12 kilometres out and he opens up a gap of 30 seconds. The pack is too late to bring him back and the Spaniard has ample time to savour the victory. Peter Sagan wins the peloton sprint.

Due to time bonuses the GC takes a different shape. Asgreen is the new leader thanks to the 3 seconds he pocketed underway, while Sagan sits in the same time in second. Rohan Dennis and Michael Matthews are both 1 second down.

Another interesting read: route 2nd stage 2019 Tour de Suisse.