Joe Cooper
(Photo: Enthuse; click to enlarge) |
Joe Cooper from the Subway - Avanti Pro Cycling team won his second stage of the Air France Tour of New Caledonia this afternoon.
Team mate Nick Lovegrove was in the tour leader’s yellow jersey but lost it on a stage he said was very “hot and hilly,” but was happy to see Cooper get up for his second stage win of the tour.
Cooper, defending tour champion, won the opening prologue in impressive style before missing the crucial break in yesterdays 98 kilometre stage, finishing five minutes behind to be 13th overall four minutes and 13 seconds behind teammate Lovegrove at the start of today’s racing.
“I enjoyed today in yellow,” Lovegrove said. “But we just couldn’t hold onto it but it was great to see Joe win the stage.”
Both riders are comfortably in the top 10 on general classification. Tomorrows 110 kilometre stage three starts in Poindimié and goes through Tchamba and Poindimié before fininshing in Hienghene.
