In today's audio diaries, we are once again joined by Canyon dhb SunGod rider Rory Townsend, Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling DS Colin Sturgess, and SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling's Andy Turner.
Our roving reporter within the Canyon dhb SunGod team, Ollie Gray from HUNT Bike Wheels, once again speaks with serial jersey-bagger Jacob Scott, and he also chats with Thomas Mein, who suffered a heavy fall today. And, from inside the Great Britain team camp, we hear from Ethan Vernon, 8th today. Look out too for our interview with Andy's teammate Alex Peters, which should be up on our website by the time you hear this.
The stage began with the usual battle to establish a breakaway and, when one did go, it was once again five riders who escaped up the road. The lucky five were Robin Carpenter (Rally Cycling), Nicolas Sessler (Global 6 Cycling), Will Bjergfelt (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) and Leon Mazzone (Saint Piran), together with leader of the ŠKODA King of the Mountains and Eisberg sprints competitions Jacob Scott .
Mazzone and then Bjergfelt were distanced on the climb of Rundlestone above Tavistock, with Sessler the next to go before Carpenter shed Scott on one of the numerous small climbs littering the stage. At this point, Carpenter had a lead of around four minutes with 25 kilometres remaining and he took full advantage this to take a superb solo win in Exeter.
He finished 33 seconds ahead of a much-reduced peloton which was led in by British duo Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) and Alex Peters (Swift Carbon Pro Cycling). Our diarist Rory Towsend was also in the top ten, finishing 6th, with Ethan Vernon taking 8th.
Carpenter now leads the race by 22 seconds ahead of yesterday's stage winner van Aert and 26 seconds in front of Hayter. Peters moves up to 5th overall thanks to the bonus seconds he got on the line, with Townsend, James Shaw (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling), Bob Donaldson (Great Britain), Connor Swift (Arkéa-Samsic), and Mark Donovan (Team DSM) among an 11-rider group just 32 seconds back.
The race moves to Wales for stage 3 tomorrow as the 18 teams face an 18.2 kilometre team time trial in Carmarthenshire.
The British Continental. Proudly presented by Le Col, supported by Pro-Noctis