Brazilian Murilo Fischer (Liquigas) takes the lead after stage two of the Tour de Pologne.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Australian sprinter Allan Davis from Team Quick Step has won second stage of the Tour de Pologne over Brazilian Murilo Fischer (Liquigas) and Italian Mirco Lorenzetto (Lampre). Fischer became new race leader since his team was four seconds faster on yesterday's time trial.
"There was a three-man break in front of the pack but in the final Team CSC and Team Liquigas picked up the pace, and with 20km to go, my team went into action," said Davis.
"The final was three laps around a circuit. The team did a great job and in the last kilometre Steven De Jongh, as always, guided me perfectly towards the finish-line."
This is first victory for the Australian rider while in Quick Step colors - he brought his new team its 47th win of the season. Davis recently finished third in the Vattenfall Cyclassics in Hamburg.
"It was fantastic to win for the first time wearing this jersey," said Davis, who previously won a stage at the Tour de Pologne in 2004. "The organization of this team in the stage finals is amazing."
Second stage of the race began from early breakaway of three riders: Basque Andoni Lafuente (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Italian Roberto Longo (Lampre) and Polish time trial champion Lukasz Bodnar (Polska BGZ). One year ago Longo was first leader of the race, while Bodnar winner of intermediate sprints competition after he made series of solo breakaways in the flatter part of the race.
They quickly gained substantial lead over a sleepy bunch. In the feed zone, with some 113 kilometres to the line, they had a margin of 12:30 on the peloton. With the occasional headwind, the race was behind it slowest time schedule.
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The real chase began only after some fours hours of racing. Lafuente won all three intermediate sprints.
Their lead though was shrinking fast as the race was coming ever closer to Olsztyn. Just before riders reached finishing laps on streets of Warmia's capital, Bodnar managed to win the only category three mountain premium of the day and secure an early lead in this competition. Soon after they were all caught by the fast moving bunch led by CSC-Saxo Bank.
In Olsztyn there were three crucifix-like shaped laps, each with four 180 degrees turns and counting 5700 metres. Spaniard Iván Gutiérrez made longest standing solo effort from Caisse d'Epargne, recent winner of the Eneco Tour. However, even Gutiérrez, such strong time trialist, was soon caught.
In the final lap it was down to one team. Quick Step gave a great lead-out from Dutchman Steven De Jongh, which prepared the way for Davis to win. Four years earlier he won Tour de Pologne stage to Bydgoszcz, plus was the best in points and combined competitions.
David is a new man in the Quick Step roster, signing for them just couple of weeks ago. With just one day in the mountains and with plenty of bonus-seconds to gain, riders like Davis or Fischer, who can sprint and also climb in the medium size hills, might win the race.
