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RACE REPORTS: TOUR OF CALIFORNIA STAGE 2: LANCASTER STORMS INTO OVERALL LEAD
Road Bike Action
May 17, 2010
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(Photo: Ken Conley)
Brett Lancaster (Cervélo) won a wet and windy stage 2 of the Tour of California. Lancaster out kicked Peter Sagan (Liquigas) and Lars Boom (Rabobank) to take the stage. Lancaster won from a decisive lead group that had formed as the peloton shattered under the pressure of four categorized climbs and the RadioShack team.
The day’s break went early and contained Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis), Robert Thomson (Fly V), Andrew Randall (SpiderTech), Thomas Rabou (Team Type 1) and Michael Friedman (Jelly Belly). The four riders worked well together to expand their lead. On the King of the Mountains it was Rabou who led over the top with Menzies, Thomson and Randell. With the peloton not in the mood to chase the gap quickly grew to 6:50 only 57-kilometers into the stage.
With the gap continuing to grow, RadioShack, HTC-Columbia and Garmin-Transitions moved to the front to stabilize the gap at about five minutes. The gap dropped sharply to about 3:00 on the climb of Howell Mountain Road with Rabou claiming the KOM points ahead of Menzies, Randell, Thomson and Friedman who was dropped from the break on the ascent. Down the backside of Howell Mountain Road, the break reformed and began to rebuild their advantage. At the base of the day’s third KOM climb up the Oakville Grade their gap was back out to 3:30. On the climb Freidman was again dropped as Rabou took the KOM points followed by Menzies and Randell
Behind the break the peloton shattered on Oakville grade with many of the sprinters, including race leader Mark Cavendish, getting tailed off the back. As the rider’s tried to regroup on the descent, Andrew Pinfold (UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis) crashed hard for the second day in a row.
Just kilometers after the summit of Oakville Grade the break tackled the climb of Trinity Road. On the climb Rabou and Menzies rode clear of Thomson and Randell. As Rabou and Menzies pressed on a chase group of 25 riders formed with five RadioShack riders including Levi Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong. David Zabriskie, Tom Danielson both of Garmin-Transitions along Andy Schleck and Jens Voigt of Saxo Bank also made the lead group. With about 17-kilometers remaining, Rabou and Menzies were finally reeled in as RadioShack turned the screws at the front.
With 3-kilometers to go the leaders had a 20-second gap over a chase group containing overnight leader Mark Cavendish. However, with the race lead on the line the lead group kept the pace high and in the sprint for the line it was Brett Lancaster that powered past Sagan and Boom for the victory.
Tour of California Stage 2: Davis - Santa Rosa 177.2km
1. Brett Lancaster (Aus/Cervelo) 4:38:48
2. Peter Sagan (Svk/Liquigas) @ s.t.
3. Lars Boom (Ned/Rabobank)
4. Rory Sutherland (Aus/Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis)
5. Andre Steensen (Den/Saxo Bank)
6. Francois Parisien (Can/SpiderTech)
7. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Radioshack)
8. Ryder Hesjedal (Can/Garmin-Transitions)
9. Lars Ytting Bak (Den/HTC-Columbia)
10. Michael Rogers (Aus/HTC-Columbia)
Tour of California Overall Classification
1. Brett Lancaster (Aus/Cervelo)n 8:43:24
2. Peter Sagan (Svk/Liquigas) @ .04
3. Karl Menzies (Aus/Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis) @ s.t.
4. Lars Boom (Ned/Rabobank) @ .06
5. Thomas Rabou (Ned/Team Type 1) @ s.t.
6. Marc De Maar (Ned/Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis) @ .07
7. Paul Mach (USA/Bissell) @ .08
8. Michael Rogers (Aus/HTC-Columbia) @ .10
9. Janez Brajkovic (Slo/Radioshack) @ s.t.
10. Ryder Hesjedal (Can/Garmin-Transitions)
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