Moreno Hofland gave LottoNL Jumbo their first win of the season when he took victory on the second stage of the Tour de Yorkshire.
Stage two of this UCI race was from Selby to York and took in a course of 174 kilometres with two classified climbs.Lars Petter Nordhaug of Team Sky was in the leader's jersey for the stage which saw eight riders in McNally, Slik, Steels, Eidet, Tennant, De Backer, Matt Brammeier of MTN Qhubeka and Bernardeu get away with an advantage of 6.15 going through Beverley and 6.40 when Mark McNally of Maddison Gensis took the second climb of the day.
The gap had come to 4.20 with 62.5kms to go on a cloudy day before they started on two laps around York, which was absolutely packed with spectators.
Mark McNally took the three seconds for the second sprint with just over forty kilometres or twenty five miles to go.The riders took the bell lap with twenty kilometres left and a lead of 1.15 so McNally and Bert De Backer of Giant Alpecin went away as the remnants of the break were mopped up by the peloton.
McNally and De Backer were still fifteen seconds clear with five kilometres to go as Lotto Jumbo took to the front of the peloton.
Bert De Backer, who was riding at 46kmh, dropped McNally but the peloton were riding quicker with Greg Van Avermaet now setting the pace.
Cofidis sent a rider up to De Backer who was caught with 1.7kms left before the peloton caught them under the flam rouge.
Greg Van Avermaet went for the line but the sprint was on and it was Moreno Hofland of Lotto Jumbo who won in 3.57.58 ahead of Matteo Pelucchi of IAM Cycling, Roman Sinkeldam of Giant Alpecin Jean Pierre Drucker of BMC and Dylan Groenewegen of Roompot.
"There was a big break so we had to chase it back," said Hofland on his victory. "I was in the wheel of Groenewegen for the last forty kilometres. He was at the back a little bit, so I got lucky and waited and I passed him and won so luckily the zero has passed and I think from now on more wins will come.
"I had moral all the time but this gives a boost for the Giro.
"The crowds were not normal , we were riding through villages and the crowds were three or four people thick and it is really cool to ride here."
Source: DSG
