The second stage of the ZLM Tour took the peloton through Zeeland, where the wind immediately played a major role. The peloton quickly split into several groups. Team Visma | Lease a Bike was alert in the early stages of the race, with several riders positioning themselves in the front group.

The wind continued to play a major role across the open Zeeland landscape, causing a new echelon to form at the front. The team eventually missed the decisive move and was forced to chase. Owain Doull, Loe van Belle and Hobbs put in a strong effort and managed to limit the damage reasonably well.

“With these conditions in Zeeland, we knew it was going to be a battle,” sports director Arthur van Dongen reflected afterwards. “We were well represented in the first echelon, but when the race split again, we were just too far back and missed the move. The guys worked hard in the chase, but unfortunately the front group was too strong.”

The sports director expects another tough battle tomorrow. “The wind is going to be even stronger tomorrow, and with the opening part of the stage taking us across the Oesterdam, among other places, it’s inevitable that we’ll see more echelons. It’s going to be a big fight and we’ll do everything we can to make sure we’re part of it.”