Daniel Skerl Sprints to Second on Stage 2 of Al Ula Tour
# Daniel Skerl Shines in Stage 2 of Al Ula Tour, Securing Second Place
In a thrilling day of cycling at the Al Ula Tour, Daniel Skerl from Bahrain Victorious sprinted to a commendable second place on Stage 2, navigating a 152 km route that began and ended at the AlManshiyah Train Station. The stage was characterized by flat terrain and relentless crosswinds, with riders facing powerful gusts and sandstorms throughout.
The early portion of the race saw the formation of echelons due to the adverse weather conditions, with Bahrain Victorious skillfully placing six riders in the front group. As the race progressed toward its final laps around AlManshiyah, the dynamics shifted, leading to a tightly packed peloton steeling itself for a high-speed finish.
As the teams started organizing their lead-outs for the last 10 km, a setback occurred for Bahrain Victorious when their sprinter, Phil Bauhaus, suffered a puncture approximately 5km from the finish line. However, the team quickly adapted to the situation, channeling their efforts into setting Skerl up for the final sprint. Alessandro Borgo emerged as the final lead-out rider, skillfully positioning Skerl behind Milan (Lidl-Trek) for the decisive dash to the finish.
The sprint commenced cleanly, with Milan launching first, followed closely by Skerl, who secured second place, while Pascal Ackermann from Jayco Al Ula finished in third. Reflecting on his performance, Skerl expressed his satisfaction, stating, “Phil was unlucky with a flat tire 5-6km to go, and straight away he said I’ll be doing the sprint. In the last few kilometers, we were perfect as a team, and Borgo did an amazing job in the final; he delivered me to the best wheel possible, on the wheel of Milan. I ran out of the legs in the final, but I think the second place is really important and the most we could achieve today. It was a hectic day, and we kept ourselves the whole race in front, and this final was like a cherry on top of the cake. Tomorrow we’ll see what our leaders can do on the climb.”
Michał Gołaś, another key player on the team, echoed the positive sentiment about the day’s performance. “It was a very positive day for us, not only with the result of Daniel, but also how the boys rode the whole day. On the main echelon split, we had 6 guys in the main group, and we contributed to the group efforts. It was also a chance for us to improve on the GC for Afonso. Later on, it came back together, and we decided to stick with the plan and lead out for Phil, who punctured around 5 km to go. It was a quick decision from Phil, so chapeau to him for immediately deciding that Daniel goes for the sprint. It was clear communication, and Daniel also responded positively. So, the boys did the same plan we planned for Phil but executed it for Daniel. It’s such a great result for a young rider to be second just after Jonathan Milan, a promising result. For myself, it was not a huge surprise as I know that he has great potential and a great future in the sprint. Overall, very good job from the boys.”
With the stage completed, the team now focuses on the general classification as they prepare for tomorrow’s uphill finish, looking to capitalize on the potential of riders Eulálio and Kepplinger.
*AlUla Tour 2026 – 6th Edition – 2nd stage AlManshiyah Train Station – AlManshiyah Train Station 152 km – 28/01/2026 – Scenery – Peloton – photo Luis Angel Gomez/SprintCyclingAgency©2026*
