May 16, 2011 (Sacramento, CA) – Keven Lacombe (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10 was just off the podium in 4th as the Amgen Tour of California got underway today with Stage 2 beginning in Nevada City and ending in Sacramento, 122.8km. Ben Swift (Gbr) Sky Procycling took the sprint win over Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale in second with HTC-Highroad’s Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) grabbing the third spot on the podium.

Report by the Amgen Tour of California
Enthusiastic crowds welcomed riders to the finish of Stage 2 of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California in Sacramento this afternoon after beginning in Nevada City, California. For the second year in a row, the small Gold Rush town of Nevada City was host to the first official day of racing in the Amgen Tour of California (the city hosted Stage 1 of the 2010 race), after dangerous weather and road conditions required a last-minute change from the original Stage 2 start host city, Squaw Valley, to ensure rider safety and guarantee a complete day of racing. After three adrenalin-pumping circuits through the streets of downtown Sacramento, Ben Swift (GBR) of Sky Procycling won the stage and solidified himself as the overall race leader.

“Luckily, we got to start today and it was my opportunity to go for the win,” said Swift. “The shortened circuit we raced today meant fresh riders and a quicker finish. We had a plan to hit the front of the circuit with one lap to go. It was a pretty long circuit and you needed to ride fast. We were able to come over the top and take control on the final lap. You need to ride together and everyone did the job 100 percent.”

Beginning with a mostly downhill route, the race got off to a fast start with two, three-man breakaways that were quickly reeled back in by the peloton. The third breakaway, made up of Laszlo Bodrogi (FRA) of Team Type 1 – sanofi-aventis, Timon Seubert (GER) of Team NetApp and James Driscoll (USA) of Jamis-Sutter Home, was quickly joined by Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) of Bissell Pro Cycling, and together they stretched their lead to one minute and 15 seconds. At their peak, the breakaway had a five-minute lead over the peloton, sharing the work to fend off the group of 140 cyclists, which was being led by HTC-Highroad.

“It was my duty today to try and get in the breakaway and fortunately four of my teammates were able to join me. It was my rotation and that was the move that stuck,” said Driscoll. “We were working well together as team; it was a classic formulaic sprint and we knew the Pro Tour teams would reel us in. It was good to race aggressive like we were told to do.”
Once hitting the streets of downtown Sacramento, the breakaway’s lead was down to one minute, and Saxo Bank Sungard, HTC-Highroad, Sky Procycling and Team Spidertech Powered by C10 all positioned riders at the front of the peloton. With 17.5 kilometers to go, the breakaway was all but gone, with only a 30-second advantage and Jelly Belly Cycling p/b Kenda driving the peloton.

At 1 kilometer out from the finish line, two teams were at the front of the group, with Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) of Team Garmin-Cervelo followed by four riders from HTC-Highroad. With two laps to go, Saxo Bank Sungard and HTC-Highroad moved to the front and began to position their sprinters, but by the time the riders had one lap left, it was an all-out battle between Sky Procycling, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling and Liquigas-Cannondale.
Even a little bit of rain at the end of Stage 2 couldn’t dampen the riders’ enthusiasm for getting on their bikes and starting the competition.

“I think everyone was just really motivated to get going again, but because it was raining, guys respected each other and gave each other enough space,” continued Swift. “The rain actually helped me a little bit because, coming from Britain, you get to experience riding in rain. It puts a fear in some people and helps you control things more. Even with the rain, the circuit was lined with fans.”

Results

1. Ben Swift (Gbr) Sky Procycling 2:47:12
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
3. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad
4. Keven Lacombe (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
5. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank Sungard
6. Alejandro Alberto Borrajo (Arg) Jamis-Sutter Home
7. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo
8. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
9. Oscar Freire Gomez (Esp) Rabobank Cycling Team
10. Shawn Milne (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
11. Gregory Henderson (Nzl) Sky Procycling
12. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
13. Robert Förster (Ger) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
14. Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
15. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Cycling
16. Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack
17. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp
18. Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Leopard Trek
19. Tom Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
20. Ken Hanson (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
21. Leigh Howard (Aus) HTC-Highroad
22. Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
23. Ben King (USA) Team RadioShack
24. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack
25. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
26. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
27. Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad
28. Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Jamis-Sutter Home
29. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
30. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
31. Baden Cooke (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard
32. Andrew Talansky (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
33. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo
34. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Cycling
35. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Sky Procycling
36. Danny Pate (USA) HTC-Highroad
37. Martin Gilbert (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
38. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale
39. Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home
40. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad
41. Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank Sungard
42. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
43. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
44. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp
45. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Sky Procycling
46. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
47. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 9
48. Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Team RadioShack 0:11
49. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek
50. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
51. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis-Sutter Home
52. Steve Morabito (Sui) BMC Racing Team
53. Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
54. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Cycling
55. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:15
56. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
57. Matthew Busche (USA) Team RadioShack
58. David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
59. Christopher Jones (USA) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
60. Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek
61. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
62. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
63. William Dugan (USA) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
64. Leopold König (Cze) Team Netapp
65. Jesse Anthony (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
66. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Cycling
67. Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
68. Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
69. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) HTC-Highroad
70. Ryan Anderson (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
71. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Saxo Bank Sungard
72. Rubens Bertogliati (Sui) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
73. Jesus Del NerMontes (Esp) Team Netapp
74. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Liquigas-Cannondale
75. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
76. Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
77. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
78. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
79. Benjamin Day (Aus) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
80. Daniel Martin (Irl) Team Garmin-Cervelo
81. James Stemper (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
82. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
83. Jason Donald (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
84. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
85. Tom Zirbel (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home
86. Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek
87. Jacob Rytlewski (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
88. Lucas Euser (USA) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
89. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
90. Christian Meier (Can) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
91. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
92. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
93. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling
94. Andreas Dietziker (Sui) Team Netapp
95. Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp
96. Alex Dowsett (Gbr) Sky Procycling 0:26
97. Ian Stannard (Gbr) Sky Procycling
98. Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
99. Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Team Garmin-Cervelo
100. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
101. Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
102. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
103. Andy Guptill (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home
104. Jason McCartney (USA) Team RadioShack
105. Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Team RadioShack
106. Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek
107. Timothy Roe (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:33
108. Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:41
109. Martin Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad
110. Roman Kilun (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
111. Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
112. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Bissell Cycling
113. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
114. Luca Damiani (Ita) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
115. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
116. Rob Britton (Can) Bissell Cycling
117. Zachary Bell (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
118. Martin Pedersen (Den) Leopard Trek
119. Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank Sungard
120. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
121. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
122. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Cycling
123. Svein Tuft (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
124. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell Cycling
125. Jonas Aaen Jørgensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard
126. Martin Mortensen (Den) Leopard Trek
127. Laszlo Bodrogi (Fra) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
128. Jose Fernando Antogna (Arg) Jamis-Sutter Home
129. Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Team Netapp 0:52
130. Charles Wegelius (Gbr) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling 0:59
131. Alex Hagman (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
132. Alastair Loutit (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 1:19
133. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank Sungard 1:21
134. Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:23
135. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Sky Procycling
136. Chad Hartley (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
137. Bert Grabsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad
138. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team RadioShack
139. Will Routley (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
140. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 2:04
141. Timon Seubert (Ger) Team Netapp 2:13
142. Sergio Hernandez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 2:16
143. James Driscoll (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home 2:56
144. Nic Hamilton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 3:31

GC after Stage 2

1. Ben Swift (Gbr) Sky Procycling 2:47:02
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 4
3. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad 6
4. Keven Lacombe (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10 0:10
5. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank Sungard
6. Alejandro Alberto Borrajo (Arg) Jamis-Sutter Home
7. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo
8. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
9. Oscar Freire Gomez (Esp) Rabobank Cycling Team
10. Shawn Milne (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
11. Gregory Henderson (Nzl) Sky Procycling
12. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
13. Robert Förster (Ger) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
14. Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
15. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Cycling
16. Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack
17. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp
18. Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Leopard Trek
19. Tom Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
20. Ken Hanson (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
21. Leigh Howard (Aus) HTC-Highroad
22. Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
23. Ben King (USA) Team RadioShack
24. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack
25. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
26. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
27. Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad
28. Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Jamis-Sutter Home
29. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
30. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
31. Baden Cooke (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard
32. Andrew Talansky (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
33. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo
34. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Cycling
35. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Sky Procycling
36. Danny Pate (USA) HTC-Highroad
37. Martin Gilbert (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
38. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale
39. Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home
40. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad
41. Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank Sungard
42. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
43. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
44. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp
45. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Sky Procycling
46. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
47. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:19
48. Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Team RadioShack 0:21
49. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek
50. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
51. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis-Sutter Home
52. Steve Morabito (Sui) BMC Racing Team
53. Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
54. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Cycling
55. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:25
56. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
57. Matthew Busche (USA) Team RadioShack
58. David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
59. Christopher Jones (USA) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
60. Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek
61. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
62. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
63. William Dugan (USA) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
64. Leopold König (Cze) Team Netapp
65. Jesse Anthony (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
66. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Cycling
67. Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
68. Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
69. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) HTC-Highroad
70. Ryan Anderson (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
71. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Saxo Bank Sungard
72. Rubens Bertogliati (Sui) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
73. Jesus Del NerMontes (Esp) Team Netapp
74. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Liquigas-Cannondale
75. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
76. Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
77. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
78. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
79. Benjamin Day (Aus) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
80. Daniel Martin (Irl) Team Garmin-Cervelo
81. James Stemper (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
82. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
83. Jason Donald (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
84. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
85. Tom Zirbel (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home
86. Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek
87. Jacob Rytlewski (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
88. Lucas Euser (USA) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
89. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
90. Christian Meier (Can) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
91. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
92. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
93. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling
94. Andreas Dietziker (Sui) Team Netapp
95. Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp
96. Alex Dowsett (Gbr) Sky Procycling 0:36
97. Ian Stannard (Gbr) Sky Procycling
98. Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
99. Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Team Garmin-Cervelo
100. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
101. Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
102. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling
103. Andy Guptill (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home
104. Jason McCartney (USA) Team RadioShack
105. Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Team RadioShack
106. Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek
107. Timothy Roe (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:43
108. Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:51
109. Martin Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad
110. Roman Kilun (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
111. Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
112. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Bissell Cycling
113. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
114. Luca Damiani (Ita) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
115. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
116. Rob Britton (Can) Bissell Cycling
117. Zachary Bell (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
118. Martin Pedersen (Den) Leopard Trek
119. Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank Sungard
120. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
121. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
122. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Cycling
123. Svein Tuft (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
124. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell Cycling
125. Jonas Aaen Jørgensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard
126. Martin Mortensen (Den) Leopard Trek
127. Laszlo Bodrogi (Fra) Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis
128. Jose Fernando Antogna (Arg) Jamis-Sutter Home
129. Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Team Netapp 1:02
130. Charles Wegelius (Gbr) Unitedhealthcare ProCycling 1:09
131. Alex Hagman (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
132. Alastair Loutit (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 1:29
133. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank Sungard 1:31
134. Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:33
135. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Sky Procycling
136. Chad Hartley (USA) Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder
137. Bert Grabsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad
138. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team RadioShack
139. Will Routley (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
140. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 2:14
141. Timon Seubert (Ger) Team Netapp 2:23
142. Sergio Hernandez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 2:26
143. James Driscoll (USA) Jamis-Sutter Home 3:06
144. Nic Hamilton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 3:41