Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) won the two-up sprint against Michele Scarponi (Lampre) in stage two of the Giro del Trentino. The two strongest riders of the day finished 25 seconds clear of the chase group. Scarponi's consolation prize was the leader's jersey that he took over from Andreas Klöden. Klöden's RadioShack teammate Tiago Machado is now second overall, 14 seconds behind Scarponi. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) is a further second back in third place.
With 30 kilometers to go, Scarponi knew which wheel to follow. He went up to Voeckler to tell him his tactics. "I know you are the strong man today - I'm keeping an eye on you," Scarponi recalled the in-race conversation after the stage. "Apparently I was right," Scarponi added with dry humor. Despite knowing who to look out for, the Lampre rider had no answer to Voeckler's long sprint on the uphill drag to the line.
Scarponi was still happy as he donned the leader's jersey. "Apart from any head-to-head between us, I'm here to check my good form first. Giro del Trentino is my ultimate dress rehearsal towards the Giro d'Italia," Scarponi said.
For French champion Voeckler, it was already the fifth win of the season. After stages in the Tour Méditerranéen, Tour du Haut Var, Paris - Nice, he also took the one-day race GP Cholet - Pays De Loire. Today's stage gave Voeckler his first 2011 victory outside of France.
The break of the day was formed by four riders, with Yuriy Krivtsov (AG2R La Mondiale), Giuseppe De Maria (De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia), Davide Torosantucci (D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo) and Volodymyr Zagorodny (Miche - Guerciotti). Krivtsov was ahead on the climbs and stormed into the green jersey for the mountain goat.
The break gained a maximum advantage of five minutes, but their day was over on the big climb towards Valle di Ledro.
Voeckler launched the decisive move less than two kilometers from the line, after Lampre had controlled the early part of the climb. Only Scarponi was able to hold the Frenchman's wheel. Scarponi's teammate Przemyslaw Niemecled home a group of around two dozen riders 25 seconds later.
Tomorrow's stage promises more mountain action, with the finish atop the Fai della Paganella - the last 12 kilometers of this climb are to be climbed twice by the peloton.