Welcome to stage 2 of Ster Elektrotoer, the hilly profile mean the favourites today are Gilbert, Kessler and Rabon
The peleton set off and immediately there were some attacks.
After it settles the break is made up of Mancuso, Tang, Burke, Lewis, Williams and Locatelli
The first mountain sprint was won by Mancuso over Tang and Lewis
The sprint point was won by Williams over Mancuso and Lewis
The gap peaked at 9'30'' as the break rolled uncontesting over the categorised climbs
Jack Wolfskin were just about working hard enough to start bringing the break back.
After the central hilly section Mancuso and Locatelli both have 21 points and are tied for the lead of the mountains classification, well clear of the others. Burke has just fallen off the back and doesn't look like making it back.
The peleton has been sharing the pace nicely and the gap is down to six minutes.
The sprint was taken by Wang in front of Williams and Mancuso, Williams was easily the fastest but has been sitting at the back of the break all day and didn't have time to come around.
Also, Ivanov, Machado and Rulijh attacked from the peleton with Rulijh about to catch the other two.
At the final sprint point Williams annoyed his companions by taking it in front of Wang and Mancuso
At this point the three attackers are being caught by the peleton, Burke is still dropping back slowly though.
At the penultimate hill Vandenbroek and Weening attack just as Burke is getting caught, unfortunately for them, they don't get away.
The break still has a 2 minute 44 second advantage advantage.
At the base of the final hill the break only has one minute to the pack, and Lewis decides to attack.
The whole break counters and this means that Lewis, with easily the freshest legs is the only one to get away.
As you can see in the screen shot I just realised I forgot to crop Ignatiev and Weening have just attacked.
followed by Kessler
Then Ribeiro
Then many others including Cornu
Over the top Kessler leads with Weening and Williams, Igantiev is about to join up.
All the other attackers were pulled back by the peleton
A few more riders attack
and on the downhill we have a group of nine, Grabovski, Bertogliati, Ribeiro, Ignatiev, Williams, Weening, Kessler, Cornu and Wiggins.
They are 50 seconds ahead of the peleton with Ghyllbert and Vandenbroek inbetween.
Nos are leading the peleton for Rabon, Gilbert still hasn't moved.
The second group was caught but Tepstra, Tennant, Rabon, Hermans and De Maar attack.
Meanwhile in the lead group Bertogliatti has caused a split which Williams has dropped back to close. sorry for this screen, after cropping you can only just see the back wheel of the other five leaders.
however the attackers have made the crossing and have caused chaos in the front group.
this causes almost everyone to join up however (again you can't see them due to cropping) Wiggins and Williams drop off.
1 minute back down the road Molteni are working hard to close the gap, it seems to little to late though
The front group is still disjointed and Terpstra and Bertogliatti seem to have a small gap.
Terpstra is pulled back but as the sprint starts Bertogliatti has a nine second advantage.
There are two chains in the front group
Terpstra-Weening-Kessler-De Maar and
Ignatiev-Grabovski-Ribiero-Rabon-Cornu-Hermans
22 seconds behind them Tennant is helping Wiggins try and stay in touch. the peleton is well back, 1'12" behind Bertogliatti.
Weening goes round Terpstra with Kessler following, he pulls out right in front of Ignatiev who has to slow drastically to avoid a crash.
Kessler pulls out and Ignatiev decides to follow his wheel, Bertogliatti desperately tries to sprint to stay away.
however it is to late and Weening takes the lead with 700m to go, Kessler look like he is the only one who can challenge him.
with 500 meters to go Ignatiev tries to go round, he is a much faster sprinter but has he left it to late?
both he and Kessler are closing on Weening who is starting to look ragged
Ignatiev is coming but will he run out of road?, only 300 meters to go now.
with 100m to go Ignatiev is almost level
50 meters and still just behind, can Weening hold on?
No, Ignatiev takes it on the line, Weening has to settle for second with Kesssler third.
The rest of the top ten is Grabovski, rabon, Ribiero, Bertogliatti, Cornu, Terpstra and Hermans with De Maar closing out the lead group.
Wiggins comes in 30 seconds later
with Euser and Reus leading in the Peleton at 1'09" back.
With the bonus seconds Ignatiev takes the yellow jersey also, amazingly, Wiggins was given the sam time as the leaders, that is a very dodgy decision by the judges.
