Moreno Wins Stage 2 of Dauphine Libere
Daniel Moreno (Katusha) has won Stage 2 of the Dauphine Libere.
Daniel Moreno (Katusha) has won Stage 2 of the Dauphine Libere. The Spaniard took a bunch sprint to win the hilly, 160-km ride from Lamastre to Saint Felicien in 4:02:38. Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) took second, and Tony Gallopin (RadioShack-Nissan) finished third. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) remains the maillot jaune.
Rene Pauriol (FDJ-Big Mat) and Maxime Mederel (Saur-Sojasun) made the day's first move, but when Wiggins, Michael Rogers, and Edvald Boasson Hagen (both from Sky); Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale); Philippe Gilbert (BMC); Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step); and Bram Tankink (Rabobank) joined the attack the peloton snuffed it out. For a time, Chavanel continued alone, but the bunch reeled him in.
On the day's first climb, the Category 2 Col de Montivernoux, David Moncoutie (Cofidis) attacked, and 13 riders joined him. The Frenchman attacked again, and only Christophe Kern (Europcar), Blel Kadri (Ag2r-La Mondiale), and Jose Sarmiento (Liquigas-Cannondale) went with him. The Sky-led peloton kept a close watch on the break and pegged its lead at about 4 minutes.
Eventually, Sky began to reel in the escapees, and when the gap between bunch and break dropped to 1:00, Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) attempted to bridge up to the move. Sky was having none of that, however, and Voeckler wound up back in the bunch.
Wesley Sulzberger (Orica-GreenEdge) attacked, and several other riders, among them Anthony Roux (FDJ-Big Mat) joined him. Roux dropped Sulzberger and caught and passed the break. The peloton engulfed the Frenchman inside the last 10 km.
Mickael Cherel (Ag2r-La Mondiale) attacked but was reeled in. Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) dropped off of the pace, and Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) launched an unsuccessful attack. Gallopin chased the German, but Moreno burst past both for the win.
In the overall, Wiggins leads Cadel Evans (BMC) by 0:01 and and Andriy Grivko (Astana) by 0:02. Stage 3 will probably leave things as they are. The rolling, 167-km run from Givors to La Clayette will probably end in a bunch sprint. Who will take it? Check in at www.roadcycling.com and find out!
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