In contrast to the first day it took until the second climb until the favourites in the men’s category increased the pace. In a bigger group the climbed up to Reiteralm and waited for the more difficult and technical climb to Hochwurzen, until they attacked. It was again Leonardo Paez who was the top rider of the day. “My shape is perfect at the moment. So it is a lot of fun for me to ride here”, the Columbian explained. He won the second stage with a lead of 33 seconds ahead of the German Jochen Käß.

„I’m very pleased today. My aim is a top position in the overall classification. Yesterday I was able to keep the pace with the podium guys and today I made a big leap forward”, told the German, who was Seventh at the first stage: “There are still two days. Some of us were already a little bit tired at the beginning and we had a lot of respect for the second climb. So we passed Reiteralm in a bigger Group. At the last downhill I was able to gain some time against Mensi”. The Italian Daniele Mensi, runner-up of the first stage was at the KOM Hochwurzen ahead of Käß, but was caught by the German in the downhill. Käß wasn’t able to catch Paez: “There is no cure beating Leonardo at the moment. I had to push over my limit to keep his pace today”.

Daniele Mensi ahead of Jochen Käß (Credit: Regina Stanger)

Best Austrian was like on the first day Daniel Geismayr: „Somehow I saved a good place again, as yesterday. When they pulled in the front I wasn’t able to keep their speed. I’m fighting day by day and the gap to the guys in front wasn’t too big, so there is still something possible for me”, explained Geismayr, who finished seventh, 2:20 minutes behind Paez.

In the overall ranking Paez is leading 3:43 minutes ahead of Mensi. Third place is currently taken by Käß (+ 4:24). Fourth is Columbian Diego Cuervo (+ 5:02), team mate of the leader. German Markus Kaufmann dropped down to fifth place (+ 5:06). Geismayr is the best Austrian rider on sixth position (+ 5:48).

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