Impey holds off peloton for stage 2 win with late flier

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Daryl Impey (GreenEdge) won stage 2 of the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco with a dramatic solo effort in the final kilometre. The 27-year-old South African led the peloton approaching the flamme rouge, got a slight gap at a roundabout, and hung on by two bike lengths for the victory. A moment's hesitation by the field in the expected field sprint finale provided just enough distance for the solo GreenEdge rider to prevail.

Impey's teammate Allan Davis keenly eyed the South African's progress and sprinted to second place as the Australian ProTeam stamped its authority on the finish with a one-two result. Davide Appolonio (Sky) claimed third place, followed by race leader Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) for fourth in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

"I didn't come into today's stage expecting to win," said Impey on the GreenEdge website. "We were riding for Allan [Davis]. When I found myself with the gap, I decided to take it. The boys worked so well early in the race and held it all together in the sprint. It's a massive victory - definitely the biggest moment in my career."

Impey took advantage of a roundabout to gap the peloton, and then continued to the finish line with his solo escape. "We went through that corner really quickly, and I guess I just went a bit quicker than the rest," said Impey. "Sprinting involves a lot of luck, so I was happy to take a chance with the gap. I was lucky to have enough left in the tank to hold it to the line. I kept thinking the field would blow past me in the final 100 metres, but they never did."

"It was one of those situations where experience prevailed," said Davis, who sprinted in for second place. "I didn't want to open up my sprint early even though I had good legs. With Daryl out front, I knew we had the option of going 1-2.

"I waited until I felt someone try to pass me, and then I started my sprint. It was a progressive sprint instead of going explosively from the start. I wanted to give Daryl as much time as possible."

Rojas continues as general classification leader, with Daniele Ratto (Liquigas-Cannondale) in second and Fabian Wegmann (RadioShack-Nissan) in third overall, all tied on time.

Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat), Mads Christensen (Saxo Bank) and Jérôme Pineau (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) attacked just seven kilometres into the stage and were joined by Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Caja Rural) and Gabriele Bosisio (Utensilnord Named) at the 32km mark to form the decisive early escape. Under cold, rainy conditions the five attackers pushed out a lead in excess of seven minutes, but were ultimately absorbed back into the peloton on the slopes of the day's sixth and final climb, the category 3 Alto de Zaldiaran, with 13km remaining to the finish in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

With gruppo compatto in the peloton it was time for riders with fresh legs to make a bid for victory on the ascent of the Alto de Zaldiaran. Alexsandr Dyachenko (Astana) made the first strike and was soon joined by Anthony Roux (FDJ-Big Mat). Eduard Vorganov (Katusha), Dominique Nerz (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Wesley Sulzberger (GreenEdge) followed as well, forming a lead group of four as Roux fell off the pace.

Nerz would make a second effort as the peloton approached the break and the German went off on a solo attack while Vorganov, Sulzberger and Dyachenko were caught.

The Astana squad seemingly had the endgame of stage 2 under control as the team brought back Nerz, the solo escapee, at the summit of the day's final climb situated 9.3km from the finish. Astana's Enrico Gasparotto set the pace on the descent to Vitoria-Gasteiz with four teammates in tow at the head of the peloton as the Kazakhstani ProTeam worked to set-up Francesco Gavazzi for the expected field sprint finale. Lampre-ISD and then Movistar were tucked in behind Astana, laying in wait.

While the team kept themselves out of trouble on the winding descent, it may have been too much, too soon, as Astana ran out of horsepower over the final, flat kilometres of the stage. With 1.5km to go Astana was overrun at the head of affairs with GreenEdge moving to the front in the approach to the flamme rouge. Daryl Impey (GreenEdge) slipped off the front at a roundabout and with a moment's hesitation in the peloton the South African would not be brought back in the charge to the line.

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