May 17, 2010 (Santa Rosa, CA) – In contrast to yesterday’s sunny and dry first day of racing Stage two’s soggy mire was a sober reminder of how fickle Mother Nature can be. But that didn’t stop Aussie Brett Lancaster (Cervelo) from charging to the line for the win, his first stage victory since his won the Prologue at the Tour of Germany.

And it was a good day for the Maple Leaf with two riders in the top ten as Canada’s Francois Parisien (SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy) claimed 6th while Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) grabbed 8th and sits 10th overall.

Out on the course the rain kept up at a slow pace today, and as expected, a breakaway began early. This year’s second stage was harder and steeper course than last year and with the rain no one expected much from the top GC contenders save keeping them safe for another day of racing.

Yet the drizzle in Santa Rosa didn’t turn back the Cali crowds chanting for their hometown boy, Levi [Leiphemer], who came in with the leaders, happy for his performance and team. “It was really cold today out there and I’m just glad my team stayed intact and kept their heads on and we’re firmly in the mix – I’m happy with my performance today. Can’t wait for the sun to return tomorrow though, it’s the hardest Tour of California yet and I need to keep my energy level high.”

With over 10,000 ft of climbing amidst soggy streets the peloton played it safe cruising at only 22mph with tough verticals and descents on the Oakville and Trinity grades. Johan Bruneeyl, Team Director of Radioshack, commented: “I saw at least ten crashes from many of the non-GC riders, they were getting dropped so they had to take more chances to get back into the race – it was so dangerous descending, even our car was sliding out.”

The attacks came quickly today with Jay Thomson (VAU), Thomas Rabou (TT1), Karl Menzies (UHC), Michael Friedman (JBC) and Canada’s Andrew Randell (SpiderTech) riding away to create a gap hovering around the 4-minute mark. Leipheimer and team mate Lance Armstrong (Radioshack) along with George Hincapie (BMC) led a chase group of 12 which quickly grew to over 20 after the Oakville descent closing the gap to 3:08 as yesterday’s 2nd place finisher and winner here four years ago, JJ Haedo (Saxo Bank), went down while descending. By mile 96/153km and after the KOMs were decided, Leipheimer’s chase group of mostly Radioshack and BMC riders gobbled up the break forming a 27-man lead group.

The contest came down to the last 200 meters as five riders jumped hard under the Third Street bridge earning a gap as they dueled it out with Lancaster putting on the heat in the last 20 meters besting Sagan, Boom and Rory Sutherland with Parisien in 6th, Levi in seventh, and Hesjedal right behind him in 8th. The time for all 27 riders was neutralized to prevent a repeat of yesterday’s crashes.

At the post-race press conference Lancaster commented, “I wasn’t thinking about winning the stage today, as I was suffering from yesterday…but as I can descend quite well I got the chance.”

Thomas Rabou of Team Type 1, the KOM leader, talked about his chances of keeping the jersey until the end: “The 6th stage will be the tough one, as it starts going up and I’ll need to get points early. I’m going to need to get points every day before then as there will not be any breakaways for most of the race. I don’t think I’ll get much help from outside of the team so I’ll have to create my own chances.”

Yesterday’s winner, Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) HTC-Columbia played it safe staying cocooned all race, off the back with Tony Martin and Matti Breschel, saving his energy.

On Tuesday, stage 3 begins on Ocean Beach in San Francisco rolling through hills towards a fast flat finish at the Santa Cruz boardwalk.

Results

1. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 4:38:48
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo
3. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
4. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
5. Andre Steensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank
6. Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
7. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack
8. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions
9. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia
10. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
11. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
12. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
13. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
14. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
15. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
16. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
17. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
18. Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack
19. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
20. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
21. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
22. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
23. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions
24. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1
25. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell
26. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
27. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack
28. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia 1:17
29. Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team
30. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step
31. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
32. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
33. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
34. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia
35. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
36. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
37. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
38. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
39. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
40. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell
41. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team
42. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
43. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
44. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
45. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 2:10
46. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 2:47
47. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank
48. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
49. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1
50. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo
51. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 2:52
52. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team 7:14
53. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy
54. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia 7:53
55. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 9:11
56. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team
57. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell 9:39
58. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 9:58
59. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell 0:10:34
60. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell
61. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
62. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team
63. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions
64. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
65. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
66. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank
67. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team
68. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Fly V Australia
69. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
70. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy
71. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:12:07
72. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
73. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia
74. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
75. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team 0:15:02
76. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
77. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
78. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team
79. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions
80. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
81. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
82. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia
83. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
84. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
85. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank
86. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
87. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 0:17:20
88. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions
89. Daniel Holloway (USA) Bissell
90. Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step
91. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step
92. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia
93. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
94. Stuart O’grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
95. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
96. Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) Team HTC-Columbia
97. Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
98. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
99. Jesse Anthony (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
100. Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1
101. Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team
102. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
103. Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Team Type 1
104. Joao Correia (Por) Cervelo Test Team
105. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step
106. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
107. Scott Stewart (USA) Team Type 1
108. Guillaume Boivin (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
109. Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
110. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia
111. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Radioshack
112. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
113. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
114. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
115. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack
116. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr ) Cervelo Test Team
117. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank
118. Cody O’reilly (USA) Bissell
119. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
120. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
121. Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
122. Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
123. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:17:28
124. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 0:17:58
125. Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:17:20
HD Sean Mazich (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
DNF Andrew Pinfold (Can) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis

GC after Stage 2

1. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 8:43:24
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 0:04
3. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
4. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:06
5. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1
6. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis 0:07
7. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell 0:08
8. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 0:10
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 P/b 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 p/b Planet Energy
25. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
26. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
27. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
28. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 1:27
29. Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team
30. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia
31. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
32. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
33. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
34. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
35. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
36. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
37. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia
38. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
39. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
40. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell
41. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
42. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
43. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step
44. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team
45. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 2:20
46. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 2:57
47. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank
48. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
49. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1
50. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo
51. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 3:02
52. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team 7:24
53. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy
54. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia 8:03
55. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 9:21
56. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team
57. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell 9:49
58. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 0:18
59. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank 0:10:38
60. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:10:40
61. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:10:41
62. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 0:10:42
63. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell 0:10:44
64. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions
65. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Fly V Australia
66. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell
67. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
68. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
69. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team
70. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
71. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:12:17
72. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
73. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
74. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
75. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team 0:15:08
76. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:15:12
77. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia
78. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions
79. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
80. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
81. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
82. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
83. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank
84. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team
85. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
86. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
87. Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) Team HTC-Columbia 0:17:20
88. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions 0:17:30
89. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step
90. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
91. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia
92. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step
93. Guillaume Boivin (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
94. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
95. Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1
96. Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
97. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
98. Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team
99. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
100. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
101. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia
102. Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
103. Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Team Type 1
104. Jesse Anthony (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
105. Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
106. Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
107. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
108. Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step
109. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
110. Scott Stewart (USA) Team Type 1
111. Daniel Holloway (USA) Bissell
112. Joao Correia (Por) Cervelo Test Team
113. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
114. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
115. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr ) Cervelo Test Team
116. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Radioshack
117. Cody O’reilly (USA) Bissell
118. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
119. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank
120. Stuart O’grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
121. Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare P/b Maxxis
122. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:17:38
123. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:17:50
124. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 0:18:08
125. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack 0:27