2010 Amgen Tour of California – Stage 2 Results

Australia’s Brett Lancaster (CTT) took the win at Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California, covering 109.5 miles (176.21km) from Davis, the home of the new U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, to Santa Rosa, hometown of defending champ Levi Leipheimer, in 4:38:48.

The stage started off with 20 miles of flatland riding before hitting a few small climbs leading up to “Cardiac Hill”, followed by another flat section before larger climbs and descents that took them to the finish.

Cervelo Test Team’s original plan was to have Lancaster leadout strongman Heinrich Haussler, but after Haussler had a mechanical that forced him to stop, Lancaster seized the opportunity.  He outsprinted Peter Sagan (2nd, Liquigas) and Lars Boom (3rd, United Health Care / Maxxis) for the rainy day win.

Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Jens Voight, Chris Horner, Dave Zabriskie, Andy Schleck and a host of other top riders all finished within the lead group, giving little change to the overall standings amongst the favorites for the overall.

George Hincapie and Haussler came in with the second group at 1:17 back, and Stage 1 winner Mark Cavendish finished 96th at 17:10 behind Lancaster, who now has the yellow leaders jersey thanks to a 10 second time bonus for crossing the line first.

Regarding the lead position, Cervelo’s sport director Jean Paul van Poppel said “We have the leader’s jersey, so we have to put our heads together and see what the smart thing is to do. We know the team of Lance is controlling the race completely, and we know tomorrow is a hard finish. It’s where Levi took his chance last year. We just have to stay with them and do our work when it’s necessary, but maybe not taking the whole race on our shoulders. I don’t think they expect that from us.”

Full results and official race recap after the break…

2010 AMGEN TOUR of CALIFORNIA STAGE 2 RESULTS

1. Brett Lancaster Cervélo TestTeam in 4:38:48 10s bonus
2. Peter Sagan Liquigas Doimo at 0:00:00 6s bonus
3. Lars Boom Rabobank at 0:00:00 4s bonus
4. Rory Sutherland at 0:00:00
5. Andre Steensen Team Saxo Bank at 0:00:00
6. Francois Parisien at 0:00:00
7. Levi Leipheimer Team RadioShack at 0:00:00
8. Ryder Hesjedal Garmin-Transitions at 0:00:00
9. Ytting Bak Lars HTC-Columbia at 0:00:00
10. Michael Rogers HTC-Columbia at 0:00:00
11. Francesco Bellotti Liquigas Doimo at 0:00:00
12. Karl Menzies at 0:00:00 6
13. Scott Zwizanski Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:00:00
14. Jens Voigt Team Saxo Bank at 0:00:00
15. Christopher Horner Team RadioShack at 0:00:00
16. Steve Morabito BMC Racing Team at 0:00:00
17. Janez Brajkovic Team RadioShack at 0:00:00
18. Lance Armstrong Team RadioShack at 0:00:00
19. Phil Zajicek Fly V Australia at 0:00:00
20. Thomas Danielson Garmin-Transitions at 0:00:00
21. Peter Stetina Garmin-Transitions at 0:00:00
22. Marc De Maar at 0:00:00
23. David Zabriskie Garmin-Transitions at 0:00:00
24. Thomas Rabou Team Type 1 at 0:00:00 4
25. Paul Mach Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:00:00
26. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank at 0:00:00
27. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil Team RadioShack at 0:00:00
28. Aaron Kemps Fly V Australia at 0:01:17
29. Simon Zahner BMC Racing Team at 0:01:17
30. Walle Jurgen Van De Quick Step at 0:01:17
31. Valeriy Kobzarenko Team Type 1 at 0:01:17
32. Davide Cimolai Liquigas Doimo at 0:01:17
33. Stef Clement Rabobank at 0:01:17
34. Bernard Sulzberger Fly V Australia at 0:01:17
35. Thomas Peterson Garmin-Transitions at 0:01:17
36. George Hincapie BMC Racing Team at 0:01:17
37. Tony Martin HTC-Columbia at 0:01:17
38. Christopher Jones Team Type 1 at 0:01:17
39. Max Jenkins at 0:01:17
40. Jeremy Vennell Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:01:17
41. Heinrich Haussler Cervélo TestTeam at 0:01:17
42. Ryan Anderson Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:01:17
43. Marcus Burghardt BMC Racing Team at 0:01:17
44. Lucas Euser at 0:01:17
45. Benjamin Day Fly V Australia at 0:02:10
46. Will Routley Jelly Belly Cycling Team at 0:02:47
47. Jakob Fuglsang Team Saxo Bank at 0:02:47
48. Grischa Niermann Rabobank at 0:02:47
49. Davide Frattini Team Type 1 at 0:02:47
50. Brian Vandborg Liquigas Doimo at 0:02:47
51. Bernard Van Ulden Jelly Belly Cycling Team at 0:02:52
52. Jackson Stewart BMC Racing Team at 0:07:14
53. David Boily at 0:07:14
54. Darren Lill Fly V Australia at 0:07:53
55. Kiel Reijnen Jelly Belly Cycling Team at 0:09:11
56. Philip Deignan Cervélo TestTeam at 0:09:11
57. Ben Jacques-maynes Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:09:39
58. Yaroslav Popovych Team RadioShack at 0:09:58
59. Robert Britton Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:10:34
60. Peter Latham Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:10:34
61. Michael Friedman Jelly Belly Cycling Team at 0:10:34
62. Christopher Butler BMC Racing Team at 0:10:34
63. Steven Cozza Garmin-Transitions at 0:10:34
64. Maarten Tjallingii Rabobank at 0:10:34
65. Paul Martens Rabobank at 0:10:34
66. Jose Haedo Juan Team Saxo Bank at 0:10:34
67. Chad Beyer BMC Racing Team at 0:10:34
68. Robert Thomson Jay Fly V Australia at 0:10:34
69. Christopher Baldwin at 0:10:34
70. Andrew Randell at 0:10:34 2
71. Reid Mumford Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:12:07
72. Jeremy Powers Jelly Belly Cycling Team at 0:12:07
73. Jonathan Cantwell Fly V Australia at 0:12:07
74. Bert Grabsch HTC-Columbia at 0:12:07
75. Dominique Rollin Cervélo TestTeam at 0:15:02
76. David Veilleux Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:15:02
77. Bradley White at 0:15:02
78. Alexander Kristoff BMC Racing Team at 0:15:02
79. Matthew Wilson Garmin-Transitions at 0:15:02
80. Alex Candelario Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:15:02
81. Carlos Barredo Llamazales Quick Step at 0:15:02
82. Charles Dionne Fly V Australia at 0:15:02
83. Maarten Wynants Quick Step at 0:15:02
84. Kevin Hulsmans Quick Step at 0:15:02
85. Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank at 0:15:02
86. Dennis Van Winden Rabobank at 0:15:02
88. Robert Hunter Garmin-Transitions at 0:17:20
89. Daniel Holloway Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:17:20
90. Kurt Hovelynck Quick Step at 0:17:20
91. Andreas Stauff Quick Step at 0:17:20
92. Bernhard Eisel HTC-Columbia at 0:17:20
93. Elia Viviani Liquigas Doimo at 0:17:20
94. Stuart O’grady Team Saxo Bank at 0:17:20
95. Mark Renshaw HTC-Columbia at 0:17:20
96. Mark Cavendish HTC-Columbia at 0:17:20
97. Neil Shirley Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:17:20
98. William Dickeson Jelly Belly Cycling Team at 0:17:20
99. Jesse Anthony Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:17:20
100. Ken Hanson Team Type 1 at 0:17:20
101. Theo Bos Cervélo TestTeam at 0:17:20
102. Francesco Chicchi Liquigas Doimo at 0:17:20
103. Ino Ilesic Aldo Team Type 1 at 0:17:20
104. Joao Correia Cervélo TestTeam at 0:17:20
105. Nikolas Maes Quick Step at 0:17:20
106. Manuel Quinziato Liquigas Doimo at 0:17:20
107. Scott Stewart Team Type 1 at 0:17:20
108. Guillaume Boivin at 0:17:20
109. Martin Gilbert at 0:17:20
110. Tejay Van Garderen HTC-Columbia at 0:17:20
111. Jason Mccartney Team RadioShack at 0:17:20
112. Ivan Santaromita Liquigas Doimo at 0:17:20
113. Andy Jacques-maynes Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:17:20
114. Bruno Langlois at 0:17:20
115. Dmitriy Muravyev Team RadioShack at 0:17:20
116. Jeremy Hunt Cervélo TestTeam at 0:17:20
117. Matti Breschel Team Saxo Bank at 0:17:20
118. Cody O’reilly Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:17:20
119. Sebastian Langeveld Rabobank at 0:17:20 20
120. Thomas Leezer Rabobank at 0:17:20
121. Eric Boily at 0:17:20
122. Matthew Crane at 0:17:20
123. Oscar Pujol Munoz Cervélo TestTeam at 0:17:28
124. Javier Megias Leal Team Type 1 at 0:17:58
125. Zachary Bell Kelly Benefit Strategies at 0:17:20
126. Sean Mazich Jelly Belly Cycling Team at 0:26:24

TOP 25 OVERALL AFTER STAGE 2

1. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 8:43:24
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 0:00:04
3. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
4. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:06
5. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1
6. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:00:07
7. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell 0:00:08
8. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 0:00:10
9. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
10. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions
11. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack
12. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
13. Andre Steensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
14. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
15. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
16. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions
17. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack
18. Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack
19. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
20. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia
21. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
22. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
23. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
24. Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy
25. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team

OFFICIAL RACE RECAP:

The second stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California brought excitement to the thunderous crowds at the finish in Santa Rosa, home to the BMC Racing and three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Team RadioShack, who is currently in 12th place overall. After a challenging day of cycling through stormy conditions, Brett Lancaster (AUS) of Cervélo TestTeam took the stage win, as well as the overall lead in the General Classification.

Covering 109.5 miles/176.2 km and beginning in the city of Davis, which recently was named the best cycling town in the United States by Bicycling Magazine, the Stage 2 route included evenly spaced climbs and spectacular views. Proudly boasting no withdrawals after yesterday’s crashes, the peloton gave the enthusiastic crowd in Davis something to cheer for as they lined up at the start. The stage began with a series of attacks with little result until mile 12 when the first break formed and included Karl Menzies (AUS) of UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis, Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) of Fly V Australia, Andrew Randell (CAN) of SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy, Thomas Rabou (NED) of Team Type 1 and Michael Friedman (USA) of Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda. With the break of five riders, which would end up leading the race for the majority of the day, pulling away to create a minute-and-a-half gap over the pack, Menzies took the first sprint in Winters, followed by Rabou and Randell.

After 20 miles of flat roads while building a six-minute gap, the break headed into the first King of the Mountains (KOM) climb of the day, a short, but steep section leading to the Monticello Dam on Highway 128, and Rabou emerged victorious. Another long, flat section along Lake Berryessa, and the official feed zone, took the riders to their second climb up Howell Mountain Rd. (Cat. 2). Seizing the opportunity, Rabou attacked the break as Thomson and Friedman fell behind, but was soon caught by Menzies and Randell and the group of three crested the climb four minutes ahead of the peloton, with Rabou taking the KOM. Shortly after, the original breakaway of five reformed on the fast descent into Napa Valley.

“It didn’t get cold at all today. There were many crowds, especially on the climbs, and that made me feel warm inside,” said Rabou.

As the riders steadily approached the Oakville Grade (Cat. 3), the third KOM of the day, at 84.1miles/135.4 km and 1.9 miles long, Friedman once again dropped off the pace, leaving four riders to lead the breakaway. With weather conditions working against them, this proved to be a decisive climb for the riders, splitting apart the bunch with challenging circumstances and several crashes. With the end of the stage drawing near, a group of 12 riders, including Leipheimer, pulled away from the pack to form a chase group. After tackling the final KOM of the day, Trinity Grade (Cat. 2), the original break, the chase group and additional riders came together to form a lead group of approximately 25 riders, led by Team RadioShack. In a competition that came down to a very close finish in Santa Rosa, Lancaster took the stage win to the cheers of thousands of fans.

“In the rain, there are times when you just have to close your eyes and go for it. You just have to watch out for the white lines and the cat eyes on the road,” said Lancaster. “Honestly, I didn’t think I would be in the Amgen Leader Jersey, but today I felt fantastic. It was my special day.”

After a long, hard day of racing, Lancaster claimed the Amgen Race Leader Jersey and the Herbalife Sprint Jersey. The Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey went to Peter Sagan (SVK) of Liquigas. Rabou, whose mother is currently battling cancer, took Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey and the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey.

The top-three general classification leaders after today are Lancaster in first, Sagan in second and Menzies in third.

“Now that we have moved past the only day of rain anticipated for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, we are looking forward to clear skies and beautiful weather for the rest of the race,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “Davis and Santa Rosa have been such great partners and the record crowds on the course today really prove the enthusiasm and appetite there is for professional cycling in California. We are looking forward to another great day tomorrow as we return to two iconic cities that really embody the spirit of the state – San Francisco and Santa Cruz.”

Continuing its partnership for the fifth year, Amgen utilizes the race to raise awareness for the Breakaway from Cancer® initiative.

“For nearly 30 years, Amgen has tapped the power of pioneering science and innovation to discover and develop vital medicines,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. “That’s why Amgen is proud to sponsor the Amgen Tour of California and to continue the Breakaway from Cancer initiative as a vehicle to raise awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer – from prevention through survivorship.”

Amgen created the national Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Through Breakaway from Cancer, Amgen and its four nonprofit partners are dedicated to empowering patients with education, resources and hope.

Today’s activities featured cancer survivor Sharon Cucinotta who fired the official start gun to begin the ride from Davis to Santa Rosa, and cancer survivor Miss Sonoma County Alison Levie had the honor of awarding Rabou with Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider Jersey.