Haedo blasts to sprint win

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Juan José Haedo of Team Saxo Bank turned on the afterburners to win the field sprint deciding stage two's finish in Bourg-Saint-Andéol. The 29-year-old Argentinean found a gap along the left edge of the road and took a clear victory over Martin Reimer (Cervelo TestTeam) and stage one winner Grega Bole (Lampre-Farnese Vini).

The victory was Haedo's fourth of the season, after the Mumbai Cyclothon, a stage in the Volta a Catalunya and his win in the Rund um Köln in April.

"It was a great sprint in the end, but thanks to my team - they prepared me perfectly and I've got to dedicate this to my team. This is a big one though and there was a lot of pressure. It was a pleasure," said Haedo. "The sprint was pretty hectic as we hit the headwind on the finish line but I found a perfect spot in the left side of the road and I could pass everyone and take a team victory."

Prologue winner Alberto Contador remains in the yellow jersey and leads Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) by two seconds and Janez Brajkovic (Team RadioShack) by five seconds on general classification.

While stage two was considered the only stage favourable to the peloton's sprinters, a five-man break made a spirited attempt to steal the day for themselves. Bram Tankink (Rabobank), Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R-La Mondiale), Stéphane Augé (Cofidis), Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel) and Anthony Delaplace (Saur-Sojasun) attacked early in the 177km journey from Annonay to Bourg-Saint-Andéol after the field crossed the first of four categorised climbs, the category 4 Côte de Saint-Jeure-d'Ay, at kilometre 11.

The five escapees soon reached their maximum advantage, more than eight minutes, after 35km of racing. Astana, the team of race leader Alberto Contador, had decided not to defend their yellow jersey and the squads with sprinters, primarily Team Saxo Bank and Milram, took up the pace-making duties at the head of the peloton.

Ever so gradually, the quintet's lead began to decrease and after topping the category 2 Col du Benas, the stage's final climb, the break's lead dropped inside of four minutes for the first time with 53km remaining to the finish.

After making the gradual descent from the Col du Benas's summit, the break now had to fend off a motivated peloton itching for a field sprint. Team Sky, Quick Step and Cervelo TestTeam began to assist Saxo Bank and Milram in the chase over the stage's final 35km of rolling terrain. The break refused to concede and continued to work smoothly approaching Bourg-Saint-Andéol. Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) had additional impetus to maintain their advantage as he was the virtual leader on the road, having started the day 34 seconds behind Contador on general classification.

Despite the quintet's best efforts, the peloton's desire for a field sprint was too much to counter and the five leaders were swept up in sight of the flamme rouge. Team Sky led the peloton under the 1km-to-go banner, Cervelo TestTeam unseated the British ProTour squad at the front, then Sky fought back to head the charge to the line. Saxo Bank's Juan José Haedo, however, rocketed up the left hand side of the road along the barriers with an impressive burst of speed to take stage honours.

The efforts of Bram Tankink (Rabobank) did not go un-rewarded on the day as the 31-year-old Dutchman out-dueled breakaway companion Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R-La Mondiale) for the mountains classification lead, earning 23 points to the Frenchman's 22.

Tomorrow will be a day for the GC contenders as the peloton faces a lengthy 49km individual time trial from Monteux to Sorgues.

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