October 10, 2012 (Beijing, China) – Germany’s Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) added some panache to the Tour of Beijing with a solo victory on stage two into Mentougou, in the western hills of Beijing, on Wednesday.

The defending champion, who missed the time trial on the course this year and said his “chances to repeat his victory were tight”, was able to follow the best climbers on the three climbs that featured on the 126 kilometres from the Olympic Park to Mentougou District. He then surprised his rivals on the last downhill stretch to the finish and opened a gap in the last flat 20 kilometres.

Martin takes a significant 50 second lead in the general classification ahead of Italy’s Francesco Gavazzi (Astana) and 52 seconds on Eros Capecchi (Liquigas-Cannondale) who were second and third on the stage.

“If there is no time trial, you have to do your own one!” Martin smiled. “Some guys were expecting a sprint, but my team expected a hard race. The goal was to make a good race and to stay at the front, but I didn’t expect to win. I had a very, very small chance today but I took it and I am very happy and proud of this.”

Breakaways took the first intermediate sprints in the opening part of the stage. Andrey Grivko (Astana) out-sprinted China’s Kun Jiang (Champion System Pro Cycling) on kilometre 22, then Mathias Frank (BMC Racing Team) was first on kilometre 46 ahead of his four escape companions: Maxim Belkov (Katusha Team), Juan Garate (Rabobank), Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Movistar Team) and David Tanner (Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank).

The break went up to three minutes and fifteen seconds on the peloton but Euskaltel-Euskadi started a very high chase before the foot of the tough first climb in Gao Ya Kou, 10.8 kilometres long with an average gradient of 6.4%.

“Euskaltel-Euskadi raced very strong but they seemed to be focused more on Edvald Boasson Hagen”, explained Jan Bakelants (RadioShack-Nissan). “So they didn’t catch all the riders in front and left some others attacking.”

The hard first ascent, really worthy of being a medium mountain climb in the Tour de France, was hectic indeed, as several climbers launched an attack. Among them was Ireland’s Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp) who was first to the top of both this hill and the following one and so captured the best climber’s jersey.

The front group also included Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp), Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and a few team-mates, AG2R-La Mondiale’s Sylvain Georges and Rinaldo Nocentini, Rui Costa (Movistar Team), Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank), and two riders from the earlier break, Tanner and Frank.

The race’s turning point happened in the last 5-kilometer ascent to Dong Fang Hong, when Slagter accelerated before the summit, followed by Tony Martin. Germany’s rouleur then attacked at the beginning of the twisty downhill, with 25 kilometres remaining to the finish.

Nocentini said the other riders lost time before chasing Martin: “A rider from Rabobank didn’t close the gap when Martin left. We didn’t react quickly enough and some riders didn’t help, saying they had no interest in general classification. That’s a pity: we could have done much better and even if we didn’t catch Martin, we could have taken more time on the groups behind us.”

With five kilometres to go Martin had an advantage of 30 seconds that he increased by ten seconds despite a strong headwind. He even had time to zip up his jersey before crossing the line and wave to the TV cameras.

Former GC leader Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale) lost 13’13”. “The first climb was very hard and I lost time, even if my team-mates did their best to support me,” said the Italian sprinter, who is still targeting another stage victory.

For his part Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) lost 15’41”.

Stage three on Thursday will finish at the bottom of the Great Wall and is ranked as this year’s queen stage. With 162.5km between Mentougou and Badaling, the course includes four hills. The main one will be the category 1 climb in Gao Ya Kou where the riders already passed over Tuesday, but the top is 94km from the finish.

The summit finish, a one-kilometre ascent with an average gradient of 6.3% will be more decisive. It suits puncheurs like Dan Martin or strong men like Boasson Hagen and thus Tony Martin.

The “Great Wall stage” will not only visit the most famous parts of that World Wonder but also explore the Yan Qing County, an ecological conservation zone which is to many the backyard garden of Beijing City.

“I think this stage suits me pretty well as I really feel good,” Martin says. “Today I could stay with the best riders even in the first climb which was 10 kilometres long and very hard. I think I can do pretty much the same tomorrow.”

Poland’s Rafal Majka, the leader of the best young rider classification and the Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank’s leader, also believes Martin can keep the lead after that queen stage.

“Riders like me will do our best to win but obviously Martin can hold on in the mountains after the show of strength he did today.”

“Tony’s overall victory would be great for us,” confided Omega Pharma-QuickStep team manager Patrick Lefévère.

“The Tour of Beijing is important for us as part of the UCI WorldTour and part of cycling globalization. I have always supported cycling’s development across the world whether it was by going to Canada in 1989 with the Domex-Weinmann team or to China in 1996 with Mapei.”

Results
1. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 2:53:05
2. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:46
3. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
4. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
5. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
6. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin – Sharp
7. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
8. Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
9. David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:50
10. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
11. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan
12. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin – Sharp
13. Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
14. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
15. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team
16. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
17. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
18. Ivan Velasco Murillo (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
19. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
20. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
21. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team
22. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
23. Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) RadioShack-Nissan
24. José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Esp) Movistar Team
25. Allan Davis (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 2:53
26. Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan
27. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
28. Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
29. Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD
30. Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
31. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 2:56
32. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
33. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
34. Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team
35. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
36. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
37. Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team
38. Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
39 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD
40. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
41. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team
42. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
43. Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat
44. Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling
45. Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin – Sharp
46. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
47. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Sharp
48. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
49. Stephen Cummings (GBR) BMC Racing Team
50. Igor Anton Hernandez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
51. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Esp) Movistar Team
52. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
53. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar Team
54. Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha Team
55. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha Team
56. George Bennett (NZL) RadioShack-Nissan
57. Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre – ISD 3:07
58. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 6:33
59. Benjamin King (USA) RadioShack-Nissan
60. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
61. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
62. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
63. Juan Manuel Garate (Esp) Rabobank Cycling Team
64. Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 6:58
65. Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 9:06
66. Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
67. Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
68. Alex Dowsett (GBR) Sky Procycling
69. Hayden Roulston (NZL) RadioShack-Nissan
70. Jesse Sergent (NZL) RadioShack-Nissan
71. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
72. Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
73. Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
74. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Sharp
75. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
76. Javier Iriarte (Esp) Movistar Team
77. Peio Bilbao (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
78. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin – Sharp
79. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin – Sharp
80. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Lotto Belisol Team 13:13
81. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
82. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
83. Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
84. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
85. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre – ISD
86. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
87. Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
88. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
89. Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
90. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
91. Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
92. Greg Henderson (NZL) Lotto Belisol Team
93. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
94. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
95. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
96. Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
97. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
98. Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
99. Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
100. Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
101. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
102. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat
103. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
104. Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
105. Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
106. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team
107. Tiziano Dall’antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
108. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre – ISD
109. Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
110. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team
111. Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre – ISD
112. Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre – ISD
113. Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre – ISD
114. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
115. Enrique Sanz (Esp) Movistar Team
116. Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling
117. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
118. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
119. Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Katusha Team
120. Andrew Fenn (GBR) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
121. Luke Rowe (GBR) Sky Procycling
122. Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha Team
123. Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team
124. Clinton Robert Avery (NZL) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
125. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Esp) Movistar Team
126. Miguel Minguez Ayala (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
127. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
128. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
129. Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha Team
130. Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team
131. Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
132. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
133. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
134. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Garmin – Sharp
135. Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team
136. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 15:41
137. Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan
138. Biao Liu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 21:31
139. Kun Jiang (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
HD Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
DNS Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNS Steve Houanard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

GC after Stage 2
1. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 5:30:44
2. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:50
3. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:52
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:56
5. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
6. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin – Sharp
7. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
8. Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
9. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 1:00
10. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team
11. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
12. Ivan Velasco Murillo (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
13. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
14. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan
15. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
16. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin – Sharp
17. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
18. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:05
19. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team 1:06
20. David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 1:07
21. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 1:09
22. José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Esp) Movistar Team
23. Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) RadioShack-Nissan
24. Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
25. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 3:00
26. Allan Davis (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 3:02
27. Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD 3:03
28. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
29. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD 3:06
30. Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team
31. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
32. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
33. Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan 3:12
34. Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
35. Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
36. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
37. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha Team 3:14
38. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi 3:15
39. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
40. Igor Anton Hernandez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
41. Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
42. Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team
43. Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat
44. Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin – Sharp
45. George Bennett (NZL) RadioShack-Nissan
46. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Esp) Movistar Team
47. Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha Team
48. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team
49. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
50. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
51. Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling
52. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Sharp
53. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar Team
54. Stephen Cummings (GBR) BMC Racing Team
55. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 3:27
56. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 3:43
57. Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre – ISD 5:01
58. Benjamin King (USA) RadioShack-Nissan 6:43
59. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
60. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 6:52
61. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
62. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 7:46
63. Juan Manuel Garate (Esp) Rabobank Cycling Team 8:16
64. Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 8:19
65. Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 9:16
66. Jesse Sergent (NZL) RadioShack-Nissan
67. Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
68. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 9:25
69. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin – Sharp
70. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
71. Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
72. Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
73. Peio Bilbao (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
74. Javier Iriarte (Esp) Movistar Team
75. Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
76. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Sharp
77. Alex Dowsett (GBR) Sky Procycling
78. Hayden Roulston (NZL) RadioShack-Nissan
79. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin – Sharp
80. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 13:13
81. Andrew Fenn (GBR) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 13:17
82. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 13:23
83. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre – ISD
84. Greg Henderson (NZL) Lotto Belisol Team
85. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
86. Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
87. Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
88. Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
89. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
90. Enrique Sanz (Esp) Movistar Team
91. Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha Team
92. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
93. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
94. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Garmin – Sharp
95. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat
96. Tiziano Dall’antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
97. Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
98. Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling
99. Clinton Robert Avery (NZL) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
100. Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Katusha Team
101. Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre – ISD
102. Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team
103. Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha Team
104. Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team
105. Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 13:29
106. Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 13:32
107. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
108. Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
109. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Lotto Belisol Team
110. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
111. Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
112. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team
113. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
114. Luke Rowe (GBR) Sky Procycling
115. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
116. Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team
117. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
118. Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
119. Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre – ISD
120. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Esp) Movistar Team
121. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre – ISD
122. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
123. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team
124. Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
125. Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre – ISD
126. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
127. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
128. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 13:44
129. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 14:08
130. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi 14:20
131. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 14:29
132. Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
133. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 14:56
134. Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 15:04
135. Miguel Minguez Ayala (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi 15:07
136. Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan 16:12
137. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 16:38
138. Kun Jiang (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 21:48
139. Biao Liu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 23:16