Santos Tour Down Under 2011: Stage 2

Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage two at the Santos Tour Down Under. Today there's a 146km journey from Tailem Bend to Mannum, on the Murray River. HTC-Highroad's Matthew Goss will start the day in the ochre leader's jersey.

Riders have taken off from Tailem Bend on the road to Mannum; expect HTC-Highroad to again control proceedings at the head of the race as Allan Peiper's charges hold onto the overall lead. The peloton is all together...

143km remaining from 146km

The early kilometres see the peloton just taking a leisurely roll out of Mannum...

136km remaining from 146km

The bunch is still all together, despite some early attempts by riders to get away... and heading out at 55km/h

Today's stage has one King of the Mountains point on Dawesley Hill after 64.3km and two intermediate sprints, the first at Kanmantoo after 53.3km and the second at Mount Pleasant after 107.8km...

An update on the money raised for Queensland Flood Relief as a result of Tour Down Under riders signing jerseys and auctioning them on eBay: $16,300. Take a look at the auction and donate to charity...

132km remaining from 146km

Three riders have tried their luck off the front of the peloton: Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Cervelo), Julien Vermote (Quick Step) and Eduard Vorganov (Katush)

The leading trio is joined by Wesley Sulzberger but the peloton is onto the move...

130km remaining from 146km

All together now... It was a dangerous move that required shutting down. I'm sure it won't be long until one of these riders tries their luck again

128km remaining from 146km

Yuriy Krivtsov (Ag2R-La Mondiale) goes solo and quickly gets 100m... Maybe he'll be allowed some leeway today

127km remaining from 146km

Krivtsov now has a lead of 21 seconds - he's done well to escape the clutches of HTC-Highroad

David Tanner (Saxo Bank) and Mitchell Docker (UniSA) are hanging out between Krivtsov and the peloton

Docker and Tanner seem to have 17 seconds' advantage over the peloton in their pursuit of Krivtsov... We'll endeavour to get you a time check on the lone French rider out front very soon

123km remaining from 146km

Krivtsov has a minute's advantage over the peloton...

122km remaining from 146km

There's 17 seconds between Krivtsov and the chasing duo of Tanner and Docker, the two young Victorians

26km remaining from 146km

Tanner and Docker have joined up with Krivtsov to form a terrific trio that now enjoys a gap of 2:20 to the peloton.

The brains trust at Cyclingnews hasn't yet coined a catch phrase for today's stage... All suggestions in an email to cyclingnews@cyclingnews.com please

113km remaining from 146km

The gap has increased to 3:40 and looks set to jump a little more, although HTC-Highroad and Team Sky will be keen to keep it at a manageable level

110km remaining from 146km

As expected, the time gap has blown out to 4:20, which should be the ceiling for the break's advantage today; any more than that and it could take too much effort to bring it back for the sprinters' teams...

108km remaining from 146km

And right on cue, the gap has gone down dramatically to 3:05...

We've got suggestions for today's catch phrase folks: 'The Manx in Mannum' being the first. Nice work Wes, thanks for the email. Continue to hit us with your tips, catch phrase suggestions and general banter...

Another one for the catch phrase book: 'Man up at Mannum'... Thanks Anthony!

This one from Tim: 'Sitting on the Docker of the Bay'... I love a bit of Otis Redding, so this one might be our winner.

The break is five kilometres from the first intermediate sprint...

100km remaining from 146km

The time gap is a very manageable 2:45 and appearing to be on a slippery slope...

Shane reckons it's going to be chaotic today in Mannum and hence the catch phrase: 'Mannum Mayhem'. I reckon he's onto something here - judging by the finale in Adelaide's east end on Sunday night, it could be crazy this afternoon.

98km remaining from 146km

As the break is approaching two k until the first intermediate sprint, the time gap is 2:40. My bet is on Tanner taking the points in Kanmantoo, although Docker will be keen to add to his tally from yesterday...

The break has crossed the intermediate sprint but we'll try and get you the results of the sprint as soon as possible

Those intermediate sprint results for you: David Tanner, followed by Yuriy Krivtsov and Mitchell Docker

Jelly Belly rider Will Dickeson says "rumour has it Mitch Docker is motivated to get in the breaks and make some money in the preme sprints as his haircut costs around $200 each time..." Thanks Dicko, I'm sure the salons are salivating at the prospect of Mitch coming in for a 'do

91km remaining from 146km

Tha latest time check is 2:15...

Apparently there's a fire in the Dawesley area, where today's KOM point is. The Country Fire Service has stated that it presents no danger to the race and it is currently being controlled by the service...

87km remaining from 146km

With five kilometres until the peloton hits the KOM point, the gap is 1:54... Seems like that leash is being kept very short.

84km remaining from 146km

The time gap remains at 1:50 as the leading three riders are going to hit the KOM in one kilometre

A little bit about one of the three riders in today's break: Yuriy Krivtsov has ridden all three Grand Tours several times, his best result a seventh place in stage 21 of the 2006 Giro d'Italia. He's a solid domestique who has been a pro since 2002. Born in Pervomaisk, Ukraine, Krivtsov has ridden for various incarnations of Ag2R-La Mondiale since 2004.

David Tanner is struggling on the climb...

83km remaining from 146km

The gap has reduced significantly and now stands at 1:17 as the three breakaway riders crest the KOM

Tim Roe and Simon Zahner (BMC Racing) and Luke Roberts (UniSA) are making a bid for some KOM points from the front of the bunch

The results of the KOM: Mitchell Docker (UniSA), Yuriy Krivtsov (Ag2R-La Mondiale), David Tanner (Saxo Bank), Luke Roberts (UniSA) and Simon Zahner (BMC Racing)

79km remaining from 146km

The three riders who have just busted out of the peloton now have about 500m on the main field

78km remaining from 146km

The two breakaway groups have combined and have an advantage of 30 seconds...

77km remaining from 146km

The gap has increased to 45 seconds...

This suggestion for the catch phrase from Tim: "Tailem they're dreaming", given the location of today's start, it's good... Thanks Tim

74km remaining from 146km

The break - including Tim Roe - enjoys a 45-second advantage. Yesterday afternoon we saw Roe near the Tour Down Under Village and he explained that he hadn't been able to get away in the break but would try tomorrow... Which is of course today. And he has done just that... Nice work Tim!

68km remaining from 146km

The gap has dropped to 41 seconds as HTC-Highroad continues to dominate the front of the peloton. News is coming through that Luke Roberts will lead the mountains classification going into tomorrow's stage...

65km remaining from 146km

The gap has increased to 52 seconds but it's still miniscule, as Luke Roberts drops back to the peloton, having achieved his goal of grabbing more KOM points today.

The 'Mayhem in Mannum' catch phrase might be our winner, according to Robbie McEwen, who told Cyclingnews' Jane Aubrey: "I think we're going to see a finish that's even more chaotic than yesterday."

60km remaining from 146km

The gap has opened up to 1:05, despite losing Roberts earlier

59km remaining from 146km

It must be time to take a break, as the gap between the peloton and the break has opened a further five second to 1:10

McEwen also told Cyclingnews: "Today you will see a lot more guys in contention with a proper flat finish and some of the other big sprint trains trying to take control at the front."

55km remaining from 146km

There's a minute and two seconds separating the breakaway and the peloton

There's 50km left to the finish and the gap has opened up to 1:20...

98km remaining from 146km

With the second intermediate sprint only five kilometres away for the break, the gap is 1:25

43km remaining from 146km

That gap between the peloton and the break is still hovering around the one-minute mark... It's back to 1:05 and will likely stay there for a bit longer as Big Bert Grabsch and the other HTC peeps take stock to prepare for what is promising to be a fantastically frantic finale.

An email from a clued-in reader, Alan, who says that he's glad to see the Tanners and Dockers Union keeping it real at the front - love your work, Alan! let's just hope they're not as rough-handed as the group to which your Australian cultural reference points...

39km remaining from 146km

The results of the second intermediate sprint at Mt Pleasant: Simon Zahner (BMC Racing) took maximum points, followed by Mitchell Docker (UniSA) and David Tanner (Saxo Bank)

38km remaining from 146km

There's been a bump in the pace of the peloton and the gap between it and the group of five escapees has decreased to 55 seconds - it shouldn't be too long until we see some desperate attempts by riders such as Jack Bobridge to take flight from the main field.

34km remaining from 146km

There's a minute separating peloton from break, which is to be expected, given how far from home we are; it's 34km from the finish and HTC-Highroad and Omega Pharma-Lotto are controlling the pace of the main field

31km remaining from 146km

BMC Racing's Tim Roe has attacked the break...

Rabobank's Graeme Brown told Cyclingnews about the end of today's stage, which has 1,700m of straight road ahead of the finish: "The final 70-odd kilometres is flat, dead-ish, slightly up, slightly down but it could be a slow run in to Mannum.

"With the winds coming from the north at the moment, we should be in for a technical finish. The last 1700m is basically straight so it should be quite interesting."

Team Sky's Greg Henderson said before this morning's start in Mannum that he's: “Bled, battered and bruised to be honest.

"I was in the crash in the Cancer Council Classic on Sunday; I initially thought I gotten away with it, I didn’t come down too hard. Yesterday it was brutal, all the swelling came up on my leg and then again this morning it was also swollen, so I just have to get through these next few days and wait for the swelling to go down.

"I think that my form is good, I have done the training, it’s just that I need to get my body back into good nick.”

29km remaining from 146km

Tim Roe has fled the break entirely and has got himself a gap of 1:23...

The other four riders hitherto in the break - Mitchell Docker (UniSA), David Tanner (Saxo Bank), Yuriy Krivtsov (Ag2R-La Mondiale) and Simon Zahner (BMC Racing) are back in the peloton

20km remaining from 146km

The gap is 1:17 as the peloton is within 20km of the finish...

19km remaining from 146km

Roe still has a gap of 1:17 with less than 20km to the finish...

Not content with a catch phrase, we've got a ditty for today's stage, courtesy of Steve:

Roe, Roe

On your bike

Quickly up the road

BMC’s

Had a crack

With an effort that has showed...

Thanks Steve!

And a big shoutout to Adelaide local Fabio Lucano, who himself races with the Orbea crew... He says he's loving the coverage. Ciao Fabio!

15km remaining from 146km

The time gap has dropped to 57 seconds as Roe is facing a mammoth task to stay away from a rampaging peloton... Cheer the boy home!

12km remaining from 146km

As Tim Roe passes the 10km-to-go banner, the gap is at 41 seconds

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The gap has been slashed further and is now 28 seconds

140km remaining from 146km

There's only seven seconds until Roe gets caught... It's been warm and real, Timmy! Another good effort from BMC Racing's young Aussie

141km remaining from 146km

Peloton all together now... Let the games begin!

142km remaining from 146km

Team Sky is leading the peloton... Hayman, Sutton, Henderson and co are flying!

Crash!

Cavendish down, Greipel needs a new wheel, three Sky riders down

143km remaining from 146km

But someone's out front on their own with three kilometres remaining... We'll check who that is

There's confusion in the peloton as riders are getting spare wheels as Jose Joaquin Rojas is out alone in front

144km remaining from 146km

Race is all together again as Rojas is caught

Another crash with 100m to go!

Ben Swift wins! Robbie McEwen finishes second and Graeme Brown third

There's scant news from the race finish in Mannum except that there were two crashes in the final three kilometres and Ben Swift has won the stage...

Thanks for tuning in to Cyclingnews' coverage of stage two at the Santos Tour Down Under... Be sure to join us tomorrow for stage three from Unley to Stirling, a 129km journey into the foot of the Adelaide Hills.

Cyclingnews will bring you more news on the carnage at the finish of today's stage soon...

Provisional results for stage two

1 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
2 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team RadioShack
3 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank