Moreno wins stage 2 of the Dauphiné

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Daniel Moreno (Katusha) won stage 2 of the Critérium du Dauphiné from Lamastre to Saint-Félicien, beating Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) and Tony Gallopin (RadioShack-Nissan) in a sprint finish.

Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) and Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) finished together with the Sky rider retaining his one-second advantage in the battle for yellow.

Moreno launched his sprint perfectly inside the final 200 meters as the bunch tackled an uphill finish to Saint-Félicien. The Katusha rider latched onto a late attack from Tony Martin (Omega-Pharma QuickStep) before accelerating away with an uphill effort that his teammate Joaquim Rodriguez would have been proud of.

"I'm very happy with this victory. It's one the best of my career together with the stage in 'Vuelta a Espana' and 'Giro del Piemonte'. Some said it was a surprising win for me, but I think I was one of the favourites instead: I'm in a good shape after 'Giro d'Italia', during this season I've already taken two victories and the route was very suitable to my characteristics. In fact, the last climbing before the finishing line was perfect for me: I started my rush with 300 meters to go, and I think it was really the right moment. In the end the gap I had in front of the second was quite a lot, but actually the stage was very nervous, and the group kept a really fast pace, so it wasn't easy at all," Moreno said.

Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol Team), Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale), Gallopin and Simon attempted to give chase but were unable to stop the Spaniard from taking his third win of the season.

Rémi Pauriol (FDJ-Big Mat) and Maxime Mederel (Saur - Sojasun) orchestrated the first notable move of the day but interest in their progress rose further when they were joined by a group containing race leader Wiggins, Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale), Boasson Hagen (Team Sky), Philippe Gilbert (BMC), Michael Rogers (Team Sky), Bram Tankink (Rabobank) and Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep). Such a move was too dangerous and was soon nullified.

Chavanel, himself an outside bet for overall honours, pressed on alone but even his will and desire knew with Wiggins leading Sky was unlikely to let a contender of any sort up the road and when no assistance arrived the Frenchman sat up.

It was another Frenchman though, the talismanic David Moncoutie (Cofidis) who tried his luck on the slopes of the first climb of six, the Col de Montivernoux. Moncoutie rarely puts a foot wrong when choosing the right moment, and 13 riders were quickly across. The move lacked harmony and when Moncoutie stamped on the pedals once more, he was left with Christophe Kern (Europcar), Blel Kadri (AG2R), and José Sarmiento (Liquigas-Cannondale).

Kadri may have been within 11 seconds of Wiggins' lead but this was manageable situation and as the break pressed on toward Saint-Félicien, Sky monitored their progress.

The lead stretched out towards four minutes with Kadri leading Kern over the top of each climb in an attempt take the KOM lead from Giovanni Bernaudeau (Europcar). However Bernaudeau countered at each turn, grabbing fifth on a number of climbs in a successful bid to hold his lead.

When the predictable happened and Sky upped their pace, the break's lead spiralled towards the minute mark. Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) harried a small counter attack but with Danny Pate and Kanstantsin Siutsou (both of Sky) on the front of the bunch any move was almost futile.

That was until Sky called a halt to their day's efforts and Wesley Sulzberger (Orica GreenEdge) launched his move. He was joined by a handful of willing collaborators but Anthony Roux was the keenest, answering Sulzberger's next acceleration and then plummeting down the col de Fontaille in pursuit of Kern and company. Sulzberger was left to wait for the bunch as Roux cut through the minute gap.

It was then the turn of another aggressive French team, Saur - Sojasun, to make an impression chasing Roux, who had made it to the lead break. Kadri and Roux gave one last throw of the dice before BMC assumed control of the field.

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