Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Michal Kwiatkowski did all he could to be present with a select group at the 201km Tour de France Stage 2 on Sunday, even with 800m, 10.8% Cote de Jenkin Hill (33% max ramp) inside the final 7 kilometers that shattered what was left of an already reduced peloton.
Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) won the stage, attacking the elite group that was caught looking around at each other with 1.9km after they had just completed the brutal final climb.The peloton finished two seconds behind him, with Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) 2nd, and Kwiatkowski 3rd.
The stage from Sheffield to Yorkshire included nine punchy ascents. Nibali takes over the yellow jersey from Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano).
OPQS did their best to stay present near the front throughout the race, including Tony Martin entering a chase group behind the remaining lone rider out of an original breakaway.
OPQS looks next to the final British stage tomorrow, a 155km flat stage from Cambridge to London.
OPQS made the most of adversity on the second day of the Tour. Mark Cavendish did not take the start of Stage 2. More information can be found here: http://www.omegapharma-quickstep.com/en/news/show/mark-cavendish-update-did-not-start-tour-de-france-stage-2/1827
"It's a different feeling riding without Cav," Kwiatkowski said. "I honestly really missed him today, he gave a really nice speech to us this morning that motivated us. I hope he is well. For me, that was a stage which was close to a stage that can suit my skills, such as Liege-Bastogne-Liege, but with a much higher speed. I suffered so much on all of the climbs. It was not easy to be in the front. But the team was always around me. They really helped me and I could be in the front on the final. I think I did my best and I have nothing to complain about. I tried to wait for the finish because I saw some teams there with two or three riders. I thought they'd chase down every single attack. But, finally, Nibali went and the chase was unorganized. But no matter what I am happy about my performance and my 3rd place finish. It boosts my confidence. Now, the feeling is back that I had from the beginning of the season and my morale is high. I am happy to do well and, in a way, show Cav that we will fight for him even though he is not here with us."
"It was a hard start to the Tour for the team," Jan Bakelants, who finished 49th after working hard for the team all day, said. "It was a little bit of a question of where do we go from here. I think what was proven today is that Kwiatkowski is doing OK and feeling well, which is important. I think we showed we did not panic as the situation is what it is. We have to make the most of it. We miss Cav. He was the main player for us. But, now we have to look forward and I think we can still do well. We were there as expected, Kwiato and I. I think when my legs are a little bit better, my day will come. We have a strong team here and think we are more than capable of success."