Van Stayen victorious in Randers

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Runner-up on yesterday's opening stage, Michael Van Stayen (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) went one better today to win stage two in Randers. The 21-year-old Belgian outsprinted Matti Breschel (Team Saxo Bank) and Bert De Backer (Skil-Shimano) for the victory.

In addition to earning the stage win, Van Stayen took over the race lead from stage one winner Matt Goss (Team HTC-Columbia) based on time bonuses at the finish. Goss holds second overall, five seconds back, while Breschel moves into third on general classification, 10 seconds behind.

Two Danish riders, Michael Tronborg Kristensen (Glud & Marstrand-LRO Radgivning) and Thomas Riber Sellebjerg (Team Concordia Forsikring-Himmerland), made an early escape from the field on the 170km stage from Vildbjerg to Randers.

After granting the duo a lengthy escape, the peloton kicked into gear to reel in the pair with Team Saxo Bank leading the chase. As their lead was cut down to less than two minutes with 25km to go Michael Tronborg Kristensen gave up and drifted back to the chasing field while Thomas Riber Sellebjerg persisted off the front alone. He, too, would soon be swept up the peloton.

As the peloton entered the finishing circuits in Randers, Jakob Fuglsang (Team Saxo Bank) attacked and drew out five riders. Fuglsang attacked again and only Mark Renshaw (Team HTC-Columbia) was able to follow.

Fuglsang and Renshaw, too, were absorbed by the peloton in anticipation of a bunch finish which was won by Michael Van Stayen (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator).

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