German sprinter Pascal Ackermann failed to capitalise on his first chance to win a bunch sprint at the 77th Tour of Spain.
The Palatinate rider finished fifth on the second stage over 175.1 kilometres from s'Hertogenbosch to Utrecht. Irishman Sam Bennett from the German Bora-hansgrohe team took the stage win on the second day of the Vuelta in the Netherlands ahead of Danish former world champion Mads Pedersen and Belgian Tim Merlier.
Dutchman Mike Teunissen took the lead in the overall standings from his compatriot and team-mate Robert Gesink. Both had won the team time trial on Friday with the Jumbo-Visma team. This also put defending champion Primoz Roglic (Slovenia) in a good position.
The sprinters only have five or six chances for a mass finish in the mountainous Vuelta, two of which are in the Netherlands. On Sunday, the 193.2 kilometres around Breda will be completely flat.
Ackermann recently suffered a heavy fall at the European Championships in Munich when he hit his head with full force into a barrier. The 28-year-old received a few stitches on his finger, which he says no longer causes him any problems. Ackermann had won two stages at the Vuelta in 2020.
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