BORA – ARGON 18 raced actively on the second day of the Tour of Alberta.

In the first 20 kilometers, Cesare Benedetti was able to attack with three companions and to ride nearly 150 kilometers in the lead. Benedetti won both intermediate sprints and scored the 2nd place in each of the stage’s two KOM. Benedetti was the most active rider of the breakaway and he was the last one to be caught with eight kilometers to go.

Immediately there was a counter-attack, but the sprinters’ teams neutralized it in the last three kilometers. In the twisty finale, BORA – ARGON 18 position sprint leader Sam Bennett very well. Bennett rode in third position in the last corner right on the wheel of winner Michael Matthews (Orica GreenEdge). Bennett sprinted to fifth place.

"Our tactic was designed for a mass sprint with Sam. However, we didn’t just want to wait for the final, but already actively enliven the race before. Therefore Cesare should seek his chance in the group of the day. He rode a very good race, has also fought impressively both in the intermediate sprints and in the climbs, and at the end he gave everything to stay ahead. Unfortunately, this wasn’t rewarded and inexplicably he wasn’t selected as the most active rider of the race. The sprint preparation in the finale wasn’t perfect, but the guys still did a great job by delivering Sam in a very good starting position in the last corner. In the end, Sam didn’t have the legs to complete the lead-out with a podium finish. So, anything better than the fifth place wasn’t possible today“, said Christian Pömer, Sport Director of BORA – ARGON 18, after the second stage.