Wagner beats Howard to the line for stage win

Robert Wagner of the Skil-Shimano Team has won the second stage of the Bayern-Rundfahrt in Bayreuth on Thursday. Just as his teammate Kenny Van Hummel over in the Tour of Belgium, the German scored the victory in a bunch sprint, relegating Australian Leigh Howard (HTC Columbia) and Steffen Radochla (Nutrixxion-Sparkasse) to second and third.

"For me this is my biggest-ever victory, and I am especially proud that I was able to win in Germany," said a beaming Wagner after the stage. "This is the last remaining stage race in Germany, and to be able to put my mark on it feels just great."

Howard, just 20 years of age, took over the yellow jersey of the overall lead from Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi). The Australian again got second after having come close as well in Wednesday's first stage, so the top spot of the general classification was awkward to him. "The yellow jersey is nice, but I would rather have won the stage. As a sprinter, that's what I'm here for. But I still have two opportunities," he said.

The race finale was overshadowed by a mass crash on the finishing straight, which involved riders of HTC-Columbia, NetApp and Euskaltel-Euskadi.

The second stage of the Bayern-Rundfahrt from Viechtach to Bayreuth was marked by a breakaway of three riders, who took centre stage after the intermediate sprint in Cham after 25 kilometres, won by Slovenian Grega Bole (Lampre). Kasper Klostergaard (Saxo Bank) and Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano) jumped away from the bunch, with Preben von Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen) joining them soon after.

On the hilly terrain of the Bavarian forest, the trio built up a four-minute lead, but Euskaltel-Euskadi had everythign under control. By the second and last categorized climb of the day in Weidenberg, with 27 kilometres to go, the escapists were caught.

German team Milram and HTC-Columbia then made the race hard and fast in the finale, so no-one could threaten a sprint finish. In the end, Wagner surprised his rivals as he held off Howard but also Gerald Ciolek (Milram), again disappointed after yesterday's defeat.

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