May 15, 2005 – Denmark’s Dorte Rasmussen pulled off a tremendous second-stage win at the Tour de l’Aude today, breaking away in the descent of the col de Salettes, the day’s main difficulty, and holding onto a slim 8-second lead through to the finish.

An early 20-rider group provided the day’s early action, but the pack was brought back together on the tough Salettes climb at the 65 kilometre mark, giving Rasmussen her chance to jump away. First stage winner Oenone Wood (Nurnberger) won her second pack sprint in two days, and while this was for second place it was also enough to net her the race leader’s yellow jersey, by a single second over prologue winner Christiane Soeder (Univega).

Lyne Bessette was top Canadian in the stage, finishing tenth in a 70-rider pack 8 seconds behind the stage winner along with Leigh Hobson (34th), Felicia Greer (37th), Erinne Willock (51st). Lisa Sweeney took 92nd in the stage, 13:11 behind the winning time.

Stage 2
1. Dorte Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S. 3.10.17
2. Oenone Wood (Aus) Nurnberger Versicherung 0.08
3. Magali Le Floch (Fra) French National Team
4. Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus) Mixed P.M.B. Fenixs
5. Tammara Boyd (Nzl) New Zealand National Team
6. Anita Valen (Nor) Vlaanderen Capri Sonne
7. Tina Mayolo (USA) USA National Team
8. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Buitenpoort Flexpoint
9. Sara Carrigan (Aus) Van Bemmelen Aa Drink
10. Lyne Bessette (Can) Canadian National Team

Other Canadians
34. Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team s.t
37. Felicia Greer (Can) Canadian National Team s.t
51. Erinne Willock (Can) Canadian National Team s.t
92. Lisa Sweeney (Can) Canadian National Team 13:11

General classification after stage 2
1. Oenone Wood (Aus) Nurnberger Versicherung 6.26.40
2. Christiane Soeder (Aut) Mixed Univega Pct/Ar 0.01
3. Karin Thürig (Swi) Mixed Univega Pct/Ar 0.04
4. Dorte Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S. 0.09
5. Amy Gillett (Aus) Australian National Team 0.11
6. Kristin Armstrong (USA) USA National Team 0.15
7. Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) German National Team 0.16
8. Sara Carrigan (Aus) Van Bemmelen Aa Drink 0.17
9. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Buitenpoort Flexpoint
10. Edwige Pitel (Fra) Mixed Univega Pct/Ar 0.18

20. Lyne Bessette (Can) Canadian National Team 0.24
22. Erinne Willock (Can) Canadian National Team 0.26
53. Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team 0.46
61. Felicia Greer (Can) Canadian National Team 1.17
91. Lisa Sweeney (Can) Canadian National Team 17.50