Astana's Lopez wins Stage 2 of Tour of the Alps

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Astana Pro Team continues shining at the Tour of the Alps, winning the second stage in a row. After yesterday splendid success of Pello Bilbao, today it was team's leader Miguel Angel Lopez who brought another beautiful win to Astana atop the legendary climb Alpe di Pampeago, Kazinform has learnt from the club's press service. 

Lopez won the final sprint from a small group of GC contenders, outsprinting the French rider Thibaut Pinot and the Colombian Ivan Ramiro Sosa.
"Our team did a good race as my teammates provided me a very strong support during the whole day. Also, on the final climb I had many teammates around me, so I felt safety in the leading group. The climb was super hard, and I am happy to win today. I know, this is a very famous climb with a huge cycling history, so, it is an honor for me to follow the way of the big champions. I was happy to see Jan Hirt attacking from the group, it was a good try for him. Later, I tried just to control the situation, preparing for the final kilometer. It looked like we were coming for an uphill sprint, so I saved some energy to do my best in the final meters," said Miguel Angel Lopez.

It has to be noted that Miguel Angel Lopez won today's stage on his new custom painted Argon 18 Gallium Pro bike.

"It was just my second day on this new bike and I can say I am in love with it. It is a very beautiful bike and for me it is a big pleasure to ride on it here at the Tour of the Alps. By my opinion, this bike is built for the real champions, for the winners," added Miguel Angel Lopez.

The second stage started in Lavarone and finished atop the tough climb of Alpe di Pampeago after 145,5 km of racing.

As it was yesterday, today Astana Pro Team did another strong race, working hard for Lopez and staying in the first group with big forces: with 5 km to the top of Alpe di Pampeago Astana still had 5 riders in front: Miguel Angel Lopez, Jan Hirt, Pello Bilbao, Luis Leon Sanchez and Andrey Zeits.

Hirt made a powerful attack with around 2.5 km to go to try to anticipate the reaction of the favorites, but later he was caught. No one of the GC contenders could do the difference inside the final 2 kilometers, so the stage ended with a sprint among the favorites, won by the Astana leader. Jan Hirt finished 7th, 20 seconds behind, Andrey Zeits was 14th, +1.03, Luis Leon Sanchez and Pello Bilbao did 19th and 20th, +1.25.

In the general classification of the Tour of the Alps Ivan Ramiro Sosa is the new leader, while Miguel Angel Lopez moved up to third place, 6 seconds to Sosa.

The third stage of the race will be held tomorrow: 138,3 km from Ora to Merano.