A day inside the HTC-Columbia camp

For HTC-Columbia, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California began with the ideal start, as star sprinter Mark Cavendish claimed victory on stage one in Sacremento on Sunday afternoon. The day after that success, Cyclingnews photographer Wil Matthews was given unique access to the team and captured these images of the team's daily routine.

Cavendish was ultimately unable to defend the race leader's jersey over the wet and hilly 176.2km stage two from Davis to Santa Rosa. However, the team's riders and staff left nothing to chance as they prepared for the day's racing. From breakfast in Davis to massage in Santa Rosa, the efforts of the entire squad are focussed on acheiving the best result possible.

While Cavendish might have slipped out of the gold jersey, Michael Rogers finished 10th on stage two and sits eighth overall, 10 seconds from the lead. With the team's first objective already achieved through Cavendish's win, Rogers' golden ambition has shifted to the top of the list.

Click here to view the full gallery of images.

 

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