Tiernan-Locke back to winning ways in Alsace
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Endura Racing) has won the second stage of the Tour Alsace, outsprinting Moldovan national champion and former Katusha rider Alexandr Pliuschin (Leopard-Trek).
The pair broke free from awith around 10km to go on the day's 153.8km hilly stage and Tiernan-Locke narrowly pipped Pliuschin on the uphill drag to the line.
He now leads the general classification ahead of Pliuschin as well as both the mountains classification and combativity prize.
Team-mate Erick Rowsell finished in the third chasing bunch after making the initial break while Scott Thwaites, second overall after stage one, moved down the GC.
The win is Tiernan-Locke's first since February 19, where he bombarded the opposition at the Tour du Haut Var.
Despite finishing second overall at March's Tour of Murcia, an illness during the spring and a broken collarbone sustained at the Lincoln GP on May 13 put the brakes on what was shaping up to be a promising season for the man from Plymouth.
The Tour Alsace, a UCI 2.2 race, concludes on Sunday with a 157km stage to the Ballon d'Alsace, the first ever official mountain climb of the Tour de France in 1905.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Last year's edition of the race was won by local lad and recent Tour de France tenth place finisher, Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-BigMat).
Results
Tour Alsace 2012, stage two: Strasbourg - Bischoffsheim
1. Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Endura Racing) 3h 51-35
2. Alexandr Pliuschin (Leopard-Trek) s.t.
3. Warren Barguil (CC Etupes) at 58 secs
4. Dimitri Le Boulch (Auber 93) s.t.
Related links
Tiernan-Locke out with fractured collarbone
Tiernan-Locke reflects on Murcia result
Tiernan-Locke talks about Tour of the Med win
Tiernan-Locke takes final stage en route to Tour of the Med victory
Tiernan-Locke takes Tour of the Med opener
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke: Rider Profile
External links
Tour Alsace Official Website (in French)
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Richard Abraham is an award-winning writer, based in New Zealand. He has reported from major sporting events including the Tour de France and Olympic Games, and is also a part-time travel guide who has delivered luxury cycle tours and events across Europe. In 2019 he was awarded Writer of the Year at the PPA Awards.
-
'Our costs are going up but customers can’t pay more': Community bike shops are making cycling affordable, but can they afford to keep the doors open?
Not-for-profit setups designed to make cycling accessible are feeling the pinch - but the communities they're designed to serve can keep them alive
By Isobel Duxfield Published
-