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Stevie Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) claimed his second consecutive stage win within the Tour of Britain, surviving an aggressive day of racing within the rain en path to Barnsley.
Williams out-paced stage 1 winner Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quickstep) and Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious) to increase his lead within the basic classification.
Early within the stage, Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quickstep), Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech) and Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers) launched into an formidable early breakaway. Although they have been joined by Emils Liepinš (DSM-Firmenich-PostNl) and Jelte Krijnsen (Q36.5), the transfer did not final.
Alaphilippe used the assault to comb up the utmost KOM factors on Long Lane and Jawbone Hill. But quickly after Krijnsen claimed the intermediate dash with 94km to go, Soudal-Quickstep upped the tempo to attempt to break up the peloton within the crosswinds, and the transfer was rapidly caught.
Ethan Hayter (Ineos) then bought concerned in a short escape of 10 riders, however once they have been caught, teammate Tobias Foss powered a seven-rider breakaway that had extra life.
Foss was joined by Gil Gelders (Soudal-Quick Step), Noa Isidore (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Development), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility), Nickolas Zukowsky (Q36.5), Julius Johansen (Sabgal/Anicolor), Louis Sutton (Team GB) and Oscar Nilsson-Julien (Van Rysel – Roubaix), however the latter was dropped with 39km to go.
Sutton was the best positioned within the GC standings however it was Gelders who went on the assault because the hole fell beneath the 30-second mark.
The Belgian was caught however the surge kicked Zukowsky, Sutton and Abrahamsen out of the transfer.
Foss, Isidore, Johansen and Gelders stored pushing and ultimately, Abrahamsen recovered and powered again, making it 5 on the head of the race.
The leaders’ outing entrance did not final, nevertheless, and so they have been caught inside 6km to go by a decreased peloton.
Bahrain Victorious led out the dash however Williams was on the wheel and sprinted in for a second stage win.
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