Vingegaard shows intent on Giro climb as Silva takes pink

Race favourite Jonas Vingegaard made his rivals sweat Saturday on stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia, a hilly 221km course won by Guillermo Silva of Astana, who also took over the race lead.

Vingegaard crossed the line in the same time as Silva of 5 hours 39 minutes 25 seconds after an eventful run from the Black Sea at Burgas westward into a remote hilly interior region where this Giro ended for a clutch of riders in a mass fall.

A crack in the road on a sharp corner provoked a twisted mess of bodies and bikes with around 30 riders either piled atop each other or strewn over a barrier.

Santiago Buitrago and Derek Gee-West both staggered away in pain while Adam Yates re-embarked covered in mud and blood as Remi Cavagna waited for assistance feebly clutching his wrist.

Four riders pulled out, including both Jay Vine and Marc Soler of Team UAE while Yates finished over 13 minutes down.

"This is sad so early in the race," said UAE team chief Mauro Gianetti.

After the race was briefly neutralised, the two-time Tour de France winner Vingegaard broke on the last big climb but he, Giulio Pellizzari and Lennert Van Eetvelt were caught on a narrow, cobbled village road 1 kilometre from the finish at Veliko Tarnovo.

Uruguayan Silva was fastest at the line taking the race lead from French rookie Paul Magnier of Quick Step, who won Friday's bunch sprint after the 22-year-old avoided another nasty late pile up.

"I'll never forget this day, I was feeling good but never imagined this. I'm over the moon," he said.

Sunday's third stage, the last one in Bulgaria, runs from Plovdiv to Sofia where the sprinters should provide a late shakedown. Monday is a rest and travel day.

Vingegaard has to wait until stage seven for a first real mountain with a near 14km climb at over 8 per cent up Mount Blockhaus in the Apennines.

STAGE 2 RESULTS

1. Thomas Silva (URU) XDS Astana Team 5:39:25

2. Florian Stork (GER) Tudor Pro Cycling Team "

3. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl - Trek "

4. Christian Scaroni (ITA) XDS Astana Team "

5. Giulio Pellizzari (ITA) Red Bull - BORA - "

hansgrohe

6. Matteo Sobrero (ITA) Lidl - Trek "

7. Andreas Leknessund (NOR) Uno-X Mobility "

8. Jan Christen (SUI) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "

9. Martin Tjøtta (NOR) Uno-X Mobility "