The second stage of Olympia’s Tour was won by Max Kroonen. The Volker-Wessels rider defeated Joren Bloem and Lars Boven in the streets of Assen.
As expected, the field regularly broke up due to the wind in a ride that led over the course of the Dorpenomloop in Drenthe. A group of twenty men – without leader Per Strand Hagenes seemed to make it, but just before Assen everything came together. A mass sprint threatened for a while, but a leading group of seven escapees – without northerners – drove away in the final. They narrowly held on in the streets of Assen, after which Coen Vermeltfoort won the sprint of the pursuers ahead of Rick Ottema from Muntendam.
Play game
Kroonen (from Diepenveen in Overijssel) became Dutch champion with the promises on the Col du VAM last year. “I wanted to chase a nice victory this year. In our team we win a lot with men like Coen Vermeltfoort, but I know very well that there will also be opportunities for riders like me during the season, for example today.”
,,We could play the game in the final. I was no longer in the lead at the end, because we had Coen behind, who could certainly finish it off in the sprint. And many others in the leading group wanted to continue with a view to the classification. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. After all, this is a great game to win, early in the season and that gives confidence for the rest of the year.”
Emil Vinjebo also had reason to laugh, as the Dane from Leopard grabbed the yellow leader’s jersey. “You always hope to cross the line with your hands up when you are ahead in a leading group, but this is a nice consolation. Of course I will try to defend the yellow leader’s jersey, but I don’t count myself rich yet. Today you have seen the peloton break up again and again. On Friday they expect fans again, then I will try to hold on to my classification.” That in a stage that starts in Gieten and ends in Ruurlo in Gelderland.
Attentive course
Rick Ottema from Muntendam moved up to third place in the standings on Thursday. ,,I can be very satisfied with this stage, because I rode a careful race. But I am disappointed that I had to let that group of escapees who managed to make it to the finish run because I was just wrongly placed. On the other hand, I have had two strong first days and more opportunities will come in the coming days.”
,,And I have noticed that the form is good in recent days.” Ottema was therefore part of the group of twenty early in the race, just like Tijmen Eising (Emmen) and Tibor del Grosso from Eelde. Axel van der Tuuk from Assen crashed early in the stage and with that the driver from Assen lost the good starting position he had after finishing eighth on the TT circuit on Wednesday.