Francesco Gavazzi moves into Tour of the Basque Country lead

Francesco Gavazzi (Astana) has moved into the overall lead in the Tour of the Basque Country after stage two on Tuesday.

South African Daryl Impey gave Orica-GreenEdge its second consecutive stage win in the race after Australian Simon Gerrans won the opening stage on Monday.

Impey put in a solid sprint in Vitoria after being led out perfectly by overnight race leader Gerrans and Michael Matthews to win ahead of Gavazzi, with Katusha's Angel Vicioso in third. Impey won the same stage of the race last year.

Gavazzi leads Vicioso in the overall classification, with Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) in third. All three riders are tied on the same time as there are no stage-winner's time bonuses up for grabs.

Sky's Sergio Henao and Richie Porte finished safely in the peloton to place sixth and eighth overall after being part of the select number of riders to make Monday's lead group. Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) is in 13th overall.

British rider Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Sky) is in 73rd spot overall at 44 seconds, with Steve Cummings (BMC Racing) in 151st at 15-06.

Four stages in the WorldTour-level race remain, culminating in a 24-kilometre time trial on Saturday (April 6) in Beasain. Before that, though, the riders face three stages peppered with climbing.

Results

Tour of the Basque Country 2013, stage two: Elgoibar to Vitoria, 170km

1. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge

2. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana

3. Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha

4. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Cannondale

5. Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto-Belisol

6. Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Sharp

7. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-Merida

8. Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis

9. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Cannondale

10. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep all at same time

Overall classification after stage two

1. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana in 8-30-04

2. Angel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha

3. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

4. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana

5. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar

6. Sergio Henao (Col) Sky

7. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

8. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky

9. Rui Da Costa (Por) Movistar

10. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing all at same time

Daryl Impey wins stage two

Francesco Gavazzi celebrates taking the race lead

Related links

Tour of the Basque Country stage two photo gallery

Tour of the Basque Country stage one photo gallery