Italy's Elia Viviani celebrates on the podium after winning the 2nd stage of the 101st Giro d'Italia, Tour of Italy, on May 5, 2018, 167 kilometers between Haifa and Tel Aviv. (AFP PHOTO / LUK BENIES)
TEL AVIV — Italian Elia Viviani won the second stage of the Giro d’Italia that was held between Haifa and Tel Aviv, nudging past Italian countryman Jakub Mareczko in a bunch sprint finish on Saturday.
Thanks to a time bonus, Australian rider Rohan Dennis, team leader of BMC Racing, took a one-second lead over defending champion Tom Dumoulin to capture the pink jersey. Victor Campenaerts of Belgium was third.
Viviani, riding for Quick-Step Floors, finished the 167-kilometer (104-mile) leg down the Mediterranean coast from Haifa to Tel Aviv in less than four hours before thousands of chanting fans.
“The win, everyone was expecting, but doing it is never easy,” Viviani, who won his second stage at the Giro, told Eurosport.
Italian cyclist Elia Viviani, right, races to the finish line during the second stage of 2018 Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Saturday, May 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
“I was really nervous this morning. I tried to overcome a bit this emotion but it’s not easy.”
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Cyclist ride during the second stage at the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy, cycling race in Tel Aviv, Saturday, May 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Dennis, 27, had edged out Viviani at an intermediate sprint 91km into the stage to claim the three bonus seconds he needed to take the race lead.
“I think Viviani, he sprinted but he didn’t go full,” admitted Dennis.
“It was good to see him get the stage win after not giving it to me, but he was kind, let’s be honest!”
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Israelis lined the coastal route to see the first Grand Tour to be held outside Europe. Riders passed landmarks such as the ancient cities of Acre and Caesarea.
Italian cyclist Elia Viviani waves at the crowd after winning the second stage of 2018 Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race in Jerusalem, Saturday, May 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Stage 3 will follow a lengthy 229-kilometer (143-mile) route on Sunday from Beersheba in the Negev desert down to Israel’s southern tip of Eilat along the Red Sea.
The race will then transfer to Italy, and the island of Sicily, for an early rest day on Monday. The Giro will end in Rome on May 27.
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