World Champion Mark Cavendish (Team Sky) launched one of his amazing sprints to win the 2nd stage of Tirreno–Adriatico, from San Vincenzo to Indicatore (Arezzo), 230 km.
The world champion capped off a superb team effort by the Team Sky riders, in particular from Edvald Boasson Hagen who guided Cavendish through the final 1500 meters. "Boasson Hagen was fantastic," said Cavendish. "With him it's like playing on playstation: he tells me left, right, and I just go faster, faster, faster and faster. Now I can relax for the rest of the week. Without a doubt winning a stage at Tirreno-Adriatico gives you a psychological advantage for Milan-Sanremo." Milan-Sanremo is March 17th.
Not everyone was involved in the sprint finish as the peloton was split in two about 2.5 km from the finish line after around 80 riders were involved in a crash, although the vast majority managed to stay on their feet. The riders who came off worst were the Australian Michael Matthews (who is in hospital with a whole series of gashes and road rash on his forearms, knees, shins and right shoulder), Scarponi, who injured his right hand, and the Belgians Debusschere and Dockx, who have numerous road rashes. The fall was caused by the very slow re-entry into the peloton (around 40 km/hour) of Van Avermaet and Tiralongo after they had made an attack. The two riders, instead of staying to the side of the road, moved into the center and entered the group that was traveling at 70 km/hour. Everyone braked, tires screeched and handlebars got caught up with one another. Fortunately the consequences were not more serious. Before that Diego Caccia and Stefano Pirazzi had been on a two-man break for 200 km, breaking away from the group just 2 km from the start and getting caught with 28 km to go.
Last 4 Km:
Matthew Goss retains the Maglia Azzurra. He was not able to contest the sprint finish because of the crash: "We had been pulling the group along for 210 km and it's amazing that someone decided to take such a stupid risk. And it was chaos. Tomorrow at Terni there is the last sprint finish before Sanremo. I want to take Cavendish on and get my revenge".
SAN VINCENZO – INDICATORE (AREZZO)
Top three results:
1. Mark Cavendish (Team Sky) in 6h 32’ 32”
2. Oscar Freire Gomez (Team Katusha) s.t.
3. Tyler Farrar (Team Garmin Barracuda) a s.t.
Top 10 GC:
1 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team 6:51:13
2 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team
3 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) GreenEdge Cycling Team
4 Cameron Meyer (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team
5 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:13
6 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Barracuda
7 Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:17
8 Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan
9 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan
10 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda
Maglia Azzurra – Classifica generale (GC): Matthew Goss (GreenEdge Cycling Team)
Maglia Bianca – Classifica giovani (Young Rider): Cameron Meyer (GreenEdge Cycling Team)
Maglia Rossa – Classifica a punti (Points): Mark Cavendish (Team Sky)
Maglia Verde – Classifica GPM (KOM): Stefano Pirazzi (Colnago – CSF Inox)
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