Hayter won clearly ahead of Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) and Romain Bardet (Team DSM). The 24-year-old, who made his team work hard the day before but was ultimately unable to intervene in the sprint decision, chose a different tactic this time and held back with his team on the 163-kilometre second stage between Morteau and La Chaux-de-Fonds in France until the absolute final.
"The sprint itself was perhaps not so close, but getting there was difficult today. It was a tough stage and we rode very fast, especially on the final climbs," said the winner. "I'm glad I survived that. Then we got to the front at the perfect time."
Hayter harbours hopes of defending the jersey
The 24-year-old now reckons he has a good chance of defending the jersey, which he was able to take with ten bonus seconds at the finish, in tomorrow's battle against the clock. "I'm not that bad at time trialling," said the British champion in this discipline. "But there's this climb. I'll have to see what I can do there." What's more, the competition is not far away. Second in the overall standings, just six seconds behind, is time trial world champion Tobias Foss (Jumbo-Visma) from Norway.
His team had been doing the chasing work for most of the day to keep the three-man breakaway group around the winner of the mountain jersey, Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo), who doubled his tally to 42 points. Even when this task was completed, the team rode at full speed into the last two climbs, which meant that Foss briefly lost touch.
Comebacker Ayuso after second place: "Form not yet worth mentioning"
This effort had already resulted in many sprinters losing contact with the peloton and finishing in the bunch. This time, the previous day's winner Vernon (Soudal - Quick Step), who thus achieved his required position in the overall standings just like his team-mate and Prologue winner Josef Cernywho had previously finished second. With Soudal captain James Knox no longer at the start of the stage due to illness, Remi Cavagna, third in the classification six seconds behind Hayter, is the last iron in the Belgian team's fire. But the Frenchman, like Hayter and Foss, is a strong time trialist.
This also applies to stage runner-up Ayuso, who celebrated a dream comeback with his result. Due to injury, the Tour de Romandie is his first race of the season. He last competed in the Vuelta a Espana last year, where he finished third. "Yesterday I was still suffering quite a bit, today it was much better. It's getting better every day. Nevertheless, my form is still not worth mentioning," said the 20-year-old Spanish tour hopeful. "But that doesn't worry me, it will come with time."
Germans only drive behind
From a German perspective, the 2nd stage of the tour through western Switzerland provided few highlights. Jason Osborn (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was the only starter from Germany to reach the finish with the leading group of almost 60 riders without losing any time. Nico Denz (Bora-Hansgrohe), who had been in a promising fifth place in the overall standings the day before, lost touch just as early as his captain Sergio Higuita.
Results stage 2 Tour de Romandie
- Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) 3:55:20
- Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) +0:00
- Romain Bardet (Team DSM) +0:00
- Matteo Sobrero (Team Jayco-AlUla) +0:00
- Oscar Onley (Team DSM) +0:00
- Harry Sweeney (Lotto-Dstny) +0:00
- Kobe Goossens (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) +0:00
- Magnus Cort (EF Education EasyPost) +0:00
- Finn Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates) +0:00
- Nick Schultz (Israel-Premier Tech) +0:00
