07/07/2009 - Le Tour 2009 - Stage 2 Monaco - Brignoles 187km
Going into this year´s Tour de France, a rather coy Mark Cavendish indicated his target for the race was to win a stage, and get to the finish in Paris. Not that anyone, especially his sprint rivals, believe a word of it.
If there was any doubt as to his real intentions, the Team Columbia HTC rider let everyone know what his ambitions are in Stage 2. The Manx Missile dominated the sprint finish after a perfect lead out by teammates George Hincapie and Mark Renshaw. When Hincapie and Renshaw finally peeled off the only rider who could go with Cavendish was Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream). By the closing metres the fastest man in the World had put the power down and opened a gap over the American Farrar. Roman Feillu (AG2R La Mondiale) picked up the spoils in third place.
So, if Cavendish is to be believed, 1 of his 2 targets has already been met. Not that anyone does believe him, of course. The green points jersey is clearly the target for the super quick Brit.
The stage itself was a fairly typical flat stage, with a breakaway establishing itself before being reeled in by the peleton, leaving the stage to the sprinters to contest.
Stage 2 Result
1. CAVENDISH Mark (TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC) - 4h 30' 02"
2. FARRAR Tyler GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
3. FEILLU Romain (AGRITUBEL) - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
4. HUSHOVD Thor (CERVELO TEST TEAM) - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
5. ARASHIRO Yukiya (BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM) - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
6. CIOLEK Gerald TEAM MILRAM - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
7. BONNET William (BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM) - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
8. ROCHE Nicolas (AG2R-LA MONDIALE) - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
9. DE KORT Koen (SKIL-SHIMANO) - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
10. MONDORY Lloyd (AG2R-LA MONDIALE) - 4h 30' 02" (+ 00' 00")
General classification after Stage 2
1. CANCELLARA Fabian (TEAM SAXO BANK) - 4h 49' 34"
2. CONTADOR Alberto (ASTANA) - 4h 49' 52" (+ 00' 18")
3. WIGGINS Bradley (GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM) - 4h 49' 53" (+ 00' 19")
4. KLÖDEN Andréas (ASTANA) - 4h 49' 56" (+ 00' 22")
5. EVANS Cadel (SILENCE - LOTTO) - 4h 49' 57" (+ 00' 23")
6. LEIPHEIMER Levi (ASTANA) - 4h 50' 04" (+ 00' 30")
7. KREUZIGER Roman (LIQUIGAS) - 4h 50' 06" (+ 00' 32")
8. MARTIN Tony (TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC) - 4h 50' 07" (+ 00' 33")
9. NIBALI Vincenzo (LIQUIGAS) - 4h 50' 11" (+ 00' 37")
10. ARMSTRONG Lance (ASTANA) - 4h 50' 14" (+ 00' 40")
Points classification after Stage 2
1. CAVENDISH Mark (TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC) - 35 pts
2. FARRAR Tyler (GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM) - 30 pts
3. FEILLU Romain (AGRITUBEL) - 26 pts
Mountains classification after Stage 2
1. VEIKKANEN Jussi (FRANCAISE DES JEUX) - 9 pts
2. MARTIN Tony (TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC) - 6 pts
3. DESSEL Cyril (AG2R-LA MONDIALE) - 5 pts
Young rider classification after Stage 2
1. KREUZIGER Roman (LIQUIGAS) - 4h 50' 06"
2. MARTIN Tony (TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC) - 4h 50' 07" (+ 00' 01")
3. NIBALI Vincenzo (LIQUIGAS) - 4h 50' 11" (+ 00' 05")
Team classification after Stage 2
1. ASTANA - 14h 29' 52"
2. TEAM SAXO BANK - 14h 30' 23" (+ 00' 31")
3. GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM - 14h 30' 36" (+ 00' 44")
