Course de la Paix 2016: Alexys Burnel is the new race leader, Knotten and Pogacar shares stage wins

Iver Knotten from Norway won the stage 2A in Course de la Paix, time trial around Trebenice. Ilya Gorbushin from Kazakhstan finished second. Mikel Bjerg from Denmark completed the podium. Fifth in the time trial, Alexys Brunel is the new race leader.

Alexys Brunel on his road to the yellow jersey (photo: Patress.cz)

Alexys Brunel takes a yellow jersey after finished fifth in the time trial. Dane Rasmus Lund Pedersen was eleventh in the TT and dropped to the second place in GC, eight seconds behind the leader. Chris Blevins from USA sits third, 38 seconds back. Jury decided to modify results of the first stage. Peleton lost 1:18 instead of 18 seconds. The change have a big impact on the GC as now it will be much harder to beat Brunel and Pederesn in fight for the GC.

Stage results

Stage 2a winner Iver Knotten (photo: Patress.cz)

Tadej Pogacar from Slovenia won the second stage of the day, 62,4km long around Roudnice nad Labem. Ludvik Holstad from Norway was second and Laurens Huys from Belgium finished third. The trio attacked in the final kilometers and managed to keep the small gap over the peleton. Alexys Brunel finished safely in the bunch and retains the yellow jersey before the queen stage tomorrow.

Tadej Pogacar sprints for the win (photo: patress.cz)

Alexys Brunel is ready to fight for the overall win:

"I'm very happy. Today was successful day, but I did not arrive at the Peace Race to taste the famous local cakes. My wish is to win it. Tomorrow will come the hills and for those I'm well prepared. Regardless of what our team suffered as unpleasant crashes, I want finish our goal and win the race on Sunday. Yes, every bruise cost us a lot of energy, but the Peace Race is for us a much bigger prize thanks to his peace mission so because of that we will fight until the end"

 Stage results