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RACE REPORTS: 92ND GIRO D'ITALIA STAGE 2: PETACCHI RETURNS
Road Bike Action & AFP
May 10, 2009
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Petacchi celebrates his stage 2 victory
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Britain's Mark Cavendish of the Columbia team retained the race leader's pink jersey ahead of Aussie teammate Mark Renshaw after Alessandro Petacchi of LPR won stage two of the Tour of Italy at Trieste. "I chose just the right moment to set off on the sprint," said a jubilant Petacchi, who returned in some style after missing last year's Giro through a doping suspension. The 35-year-old landed his 25th stage success in the event overall – though the official tally stands at 20 with the remainder scrubbed from the record owing to his doping offence. "I want to thank and compliment my teammates. I was on Cavendish's wheel. I had been asking myself for several days how to beat him. We'd never previously gone head to head in a sprint. He's a great champion."
Petacchi edges Cavendish on the line
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Petacchi just edged out the racer from the Isle of Man, who had taken the opening honors with his Colombia colleagues on Saturday in the team time-trial at the Venice Lido. British rider Ben Swift placed third pushing Australian Allan Davis out of the podium places with American Tyler Farrar fifth after the 156 km ride.
 "I felt good on the bike. My legs felt good," said Armstrong (Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, a major draw here despite insisting he is not in the running for overall victory, has made a solid start to his maiden showing. The veteran Texan was right up there as he finished in the bunched pack of sprinters along with Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer and is just 27sec off the pace going into day three - 11sec off seventh-placed Petacchi but 13sec better off than Leipheimer.
"I felt good on the bike. My legs felt good," said Armstrong, who was impressed by the crowds who lined a course swathed in sunshine. "I was a little nervous like everyone is, but overall impressions were good."
A late pile-up saw one of the top overall favorites, Ivan Basso, lose 13 seconds on the road from Jesolo to Trieste. Belgian Philippe Gilbert, aided and abetted by Italians Filippo Pozzato and Enrico Gasparotto, tried to escape 4.5 km out but were rapidly reined in.
Another Italian, Leonardo Scarselli of ISD, had made an early push for the front after just 9km but was then overhauled on the first of three final 11km-long circuits having enjoyed an 8min 20sec lead at the 51km mark. German Matthias Russ fell on that same circuit and was forced to abandon.
Monday's third stage is a 198 km ride from Grado to Valdobbiadene, before the racers contemplate the approach to the mountain stages.
92nd Giro d'Italia
Italy, May 9-31, 2009
Stage 2: Sunday, May 10, Jesolo - Trieste, 156km
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini 3.43.07 (41.951 km/h)
2. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad @s.t.
3. Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha
4. Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step
5. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
6. Oscar Gatto (Ita) ISD
7. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.
8. Davide Vigano (Ita) Fuji-Servetto
9. Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-N.G.C.
10. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step
Overall Classification After Stage 2
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad 4.04.43
2. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad @ .14
3. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
4. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia-Highroad
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Columbia-Highroad
6. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream @ .16
7. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini
8. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream @ .20
9. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin-Slipstream
10. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
Win a Silca SuperMini Pump every day of the Giro d'Italia. Drop us an email and tell us why you ride your bike to
whyweride@roadbikeaction.com. Entries will be judged by our in-house
Italian staff and will be chosen for their honesty, humor, inspiration
and effort. If you send in photos of riding, your entry will be
considered twice. Write in and win. We will list the winners on Monday
morning each week.
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