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RACE REPORTS: ENECO TOUR STAGE 2: FARRAR UNSTOPPABLE
Road Bike Action & AFP
August 20, 2009
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Farrar taking victory at the Vattenfall Cyclassics
(Photo Roberto Bettini)
Tyler Farrar of the Garmin -Slipstream team won the second stage of the Eneco Tour on Thursday to consolidate his overall race lead in the ProTour event between Belgium and the Netherlands. Farrar, who was adding this to his win in Wednesday's first stage, got the better of Belarus rival Yauheni Hutarovich and Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen in a sprint finish.
The stage was marked by several breakaway attempts, the last of which was reeled in just 500 meters from the line. "I never thought it was going to end in a sprint," confessed Farrar. "The race was uncontrollable, I was reduced to playing a hand of poker in betting on a possible bunching up." Farrar, who has a 13-second lead over Boasson Hagen in the standings, added: "I'm going to fight 100 percent to hold onto the lead."
Friday's third stage is a 158km run from Niel to Hasselt but one rider who will not be lining up for it is Andreas Kloden, the German Astana leader having fractured his left wrist in a fall 44km from the finish. Another rider ruled out was Spain's two-time winner Jose Ivan Gutierrez, who complained of stomach problems.
Eneco Tour Stage 2, 178 km
1. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Slipstream) 4:17:53
2. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr/Française des Jeux) @ s.t.
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Columbia-HTC)
4. Wouter Weylandt (Bel/Quick Step)
5. Tom Veelers (Ned/Skil-Shimano)
6. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita/Lampre-NGC)
7. Baden Cooke (Aus/Vacansoleil)
8. Alexandre Usov (Blr/Cofidis)
9. José Joaquín Rojas (Spa/Caisse d'Epargne)
Overall Classification After Stage 2
1. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Slipstream) 8:41:09
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Columbia-HTC) @.13
3. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) @ .14
4. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra/Quick Step) @ .19
5. Bradley Wiggins (GBr/Garmin-Slipstream) @.21
6. Joost Posthuma (Ned/Rabobank) @s.t.
7. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Liquigas) @.23
8. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa/Rabobank) @s.t.
9. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned/Rabobank) @ .24
10. Nikolas Maes (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen) @s.t. |
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