Nordhagen also wins the battle with the chronometer

Trebivlice - Norwegian representative Jorgen Nordhagen shows his strength. After winning stage 1 of the Junior Peace Race, he also wins the following individual time trial. Once again, he left the American Andrew August behind him. The best Czech rider was Pavel Šumpík in 13th place.

           

The second day of the race took the cyclists to Třebívlice for the first time. During Friday riders have to pass two race checks. First, the morning individual time trial, and in the afternoon the race from Roudnice to Štětí. It was to Třebívlice to the popular "Plum track" that the duel with the chronometer was moved this year. The Norwegian racer and the current leader of the overall classification Jorgen Nordhagen literally flew the fastest on the brand new almost nine-kilometre track, taking just over ten and a half minutes. He thus scored his second victory out of two possible wins. "Let's see if I am the strongest man in this year's peloton. Everything is just beginning, but I believe I'm in good shape and I'll be able to keep the yellow jersey. Tough stages are ahead, but I believe this dream will become a reality," said Jorgen Nordhagen at the finish after the leader's jersey was donned by former winner of the great Peace Race Jan Smolík.

            As on the previous day, the Northman again left behind the second American Andrew August, who was eleven seconds behind the winner. The Dutchman Mees Vlot lost another two. The best of the Czech representatives finished in thirteenth time Pavel Šumpík, who was less than half a minute behind. The battered Terezín-born Štěpán Zahálka was seventy-fourth with a one-minute gap to the winner.

            Nordhagen "consolidated" the lead. The second August is only fifteen seconds behind him, and the third Dutchman Vlot is three-quarters of a minute behind. The best of the home team is twelfth Pavel Šumpík.

            In the afternoon, the peloton will face the second half stage. On the programme is a sixty-kilometre flat race from Roudnice nad Labem to Štětí from 4 pm. There is one sprinter's bonus in Hoštka.