RACE REPORTS: TOUR OF IRELAND STAGE 2: CAVENDISH SPRINTS TO VICTORY

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RACE REPORTS: TOUR OF IRELAND STAGE 2: CAVENDISH SPRINTS TO VICTORY
Road Bike Action & AFP
August 22, 2009

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Tour de France sprint king Mark Cavendish won stage two of the Tour of Ireland on Saturday. Columbia-HTC rider Cavendish, winner of six stages in this year's Tour de France, coasted to victory in a sprint finish into Killarney for the 49th stage victory in his third full season as a professional. In second place was Belgian Michael Van Staeyen of Rabobank's development team with Australian Stuart O'Grady, of Saxo Bank, in third place. Britain's Russell Downing retained the overall race lead for the Candi TV team going into Sunday's final stage from Bantry to Cork.

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong is in 20th place, 26-seconds off top spot. Saturday's triumph was Cavendish fourth stage victory of his career in the Tour of Ireland and his 21st of the season. The Manxman paid tribute to his team and said: "It's the first time I've gone really deep since July (in the Tour de France). "It's always good to win, and though it was a tough finish we managed to take control of things with two kilometers to go. It was a team win, one guy crosses the line with his arms in the air, but it's a success for everybody."

Tour of Ireland Stage 2, 196km
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-HTC 5:07:33
2. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel/Rabobank Continental) @ s.t.
3. Stuart O'Grady (Aus/Saxo Bank)
4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Joker Bianchi)
5. Steven Van Vooren (Bel/Sean Kelly)
6. Martin Reimer (Ger/Cervélo)
7. Ian Wilkinson (GBr/Halfords)
8. Christoff Van Heerden (RSA/MTN Cycling)
9. Pierpaolo De Negri (Ita/ISD)
10. Juan Van Heerden (RSA/MTN Cycling)

General Classification After Stage 2
1. Russell Downing (GBr/Candi TV) 10:18:00
2. Alexander Kolobnev (Rus/Saxo Bank) @ .05
3. Matti Breschel (Den/Saxo Bank) @ .07
4. Philip Deignan (Irl/Cervélo) @ .10
5. Marco Pinotti (Ita/Team Columbia-HTC) @ .11
6. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa/Astana)
7. Frederik Wilman (Nor/Joker Bianchi)
8. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Saxo Bank) @ .17
9. Stuart O'Grady (Aus/Saxo Bank) @ .22
10. Andrey Grivko (Ukr/ISD) @ .23

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