Tour de France 2011 - stage two: as it happened

Preamble: Good afternoon and welcome to guardian.co.uk's coverage of day two of this year's Tour. After yesterday's dramatic first stage, where Alberto Contador lost 1min 20sec after being held up in a crash, we - or at least the Tour does, I'm stuck in an office in King's Cross - head to Les Essarts for the team time trial. 23km of painful, hooter-to-the-pedals, flat-out grinding. This will certainly will be a target for Team Sky, who have two of the best pursuiters in the world in Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas, but Mark Cavendish's HTC-Highroad and David Millar's Garmin-Carvelo are the two teams the bookies make favourites.

1.30pm: We're off! Alberto Contador's Saxo Bank team are the first off, on what is a cloudy and blustery day. Euskaltel will race 2nd, followed by Vacansoleil, with Team Sky 15th of the 22 teams. Each team, incidentally, goes off at seven-minute intervals...

1.37pm The Spanish Euskaltel team, resplendent in Johan-Cruyff-era oranje, are the second team underway. Meanwhile, it's good to see Nicolas Roche is back writing his column for the Irish Independent, having last year confessed to wanting to punch a team-mate's lights out. In his first column he writes:

Even though I haven't had as many results as last year, I actually feel stronger coming into this Tour. I have only one UCI point to my name this year, from my fifth place on the opening stage of the Dauphine. That's 115 points less than John Gadret and 70 less than Jean-Christophe Peraud, but the team has faith in me as leader for this Tour and I feel the guys are really behind me, which is great motivation. That's why maybe this year when I talk, I have a bit more self-confidence, because I know the team is really behind me. Although my season has been disrupted a lot, I still hope for a top 10 overall. But it's the Tour de France and everybody is ready for it...

1.42pm: It's early days, but Saxo Bank look a bit choppy; like waves in a bracing wind. But they are through the first checkpoint in 9.13 - a whopping 16 seconds faster than Euskaltel.

1.47pm: Not good news this for Contador: Saxo Bank have already dropped two riders - remember a team's time is determined by the fifth rider over the line - and their main group is down to six. Meanwhile Gary Naylor writes:

Ah Le Tour's team contre-la-montre. Is anything in sport quite as telegenic?
Well, is there? The final day of a sun-kissed Open at St Andrew's perhaps?

1.53pm What's left of the Saxo Bank team huff and wriggle round the narrow finish before crossing the team in 25m 16s. Meanwhile for those of you asking about the odds for today's stage, here's William Hill's Graeme Sharpe: Who'll win TdF stage 2 - 9/5 Garmin; 5/2 HTC; 16/5 Radio Shack; 7 Leopard; 9 Sky.

1.58pm Meanwhile Shriram Jambunathan writes:

Big day for Sammy Sanchez and Euskaltel, they lost one minute on HTC over a similar length in the Giro. HTC or Radioshack obvious choices for stage victory. Radioshack were embarrassing yesterday as they pushed after the first crash, at least BMC had a realistic chance of victory with Evans.
It will be interesting if Euskaltel can claw back some of the time they've lost so far in this time trial, but so far this Tour isn't going as planned for Sanchez. As for stage two, prefer HTC over Radioshack, with Sky an interesting wild card ...

2.04pm: Euskaltel finish stage two on 26m10s, 54 seconds behind Saxo Bank. Meanwhile Nicholas Roche's Ag2r-La Mondiale pass the first checkpoint in third place, but 15 seconds behind Saxo Bank...

2.12pm Vacansoleil are the third team to finish, in 26m03s, 47 seconds behind Saxo Bank, who still lead. We're still in the embryonic stages, of course. Here's the Guardian's William Fotheringham with his prediction:

My prediction HTC and Martin in yellow. Top end speed the key and Cav Goss and co have plenty of that.

2.19pm Nicholas Roche's Ag2r-La Mondiale team finish together on 21m 41s to move into second, 25 seconds behind Saxo Bank. It's also worth mentioning that Rabobank, who you'd expect to finish outside the top six today, are now the fastest over the first nine kilometres - three seconds quicker than Saxo Bank.

2.25pm Rabobank are still three seconds clear at the second checkpoint, but the big teams are yet to go out. Speaking of which, Garmin-Cervelo team of stars are lined up at the start, hands gently soothing their brakes, waiting for the 'Cinque-quatre-trois-deux-un' countdown. There's a loud beep and then they're underway. Garmin-Cervelo have spent four days practising for this time trial. Let's see how they get on.

2.32pm Rabobank take the lead after finishing in 25m 00s. Meanwhile a chastening tweet from @IGprocycling for those of us who experience a frisson of delight when touching 30mph going downhill on the Embankment:

Saxo Bank - Sunguard's average speed for the Team Time Trial was 54.6km/h.

2.37pm While some teams have looked raggedy even from quite an early stage, Garmin are looking as smooth as Casanova's pre-seduction conversation. They've gone through the first stage seven seconds faster than Rabobank, and they're into 5-4 favourites for this stage.

2.42pm Garmin's Julian Dean, who lead the team from the start line, has been dropped, but Garmin are now 13 seconds ahead of Rabobank through the second checkpoint at 16.5km. Speaking of Garmin, this from our very own James Richardson:

zabriskie going with the Captain America strip. Interestingly garmin also have Thor on their team. tdf ttt live on b. eurosport now folks

2.46pm If you missed it, this Wall Street Journal piece on Zabriskis eating a near-vegan diet this season - and feeling better for it - is worth a read. A short extract:

After nine months on the diet, Zabriskie says he's feeling better than ever. He has had some of the best results of his career and says he feels more focused. "I think a lot of people see food in terms of whether it's going to make them fat or make them skinny," he says. "I'm seeing food in terms of how it's going to make me think and will it give me clarity." Zabriskie says he's noticed that even small ailments, like canker sores and a persistent rash he used to get, have all gone away. Even his vision has improved, he says. This winter, Zabriskie's team director, Jonathan Vaughters, caught wind of his new diet and gave him a call. Vaughters was concerned the diet would lower Zabriskie's iron intake, which is crucial for endurance athletes. He told Zabriskie that he could try the diet, so long as he took regular blood tests to monitor his level of ferritin, the protein that stores iron. He said Zabriskie should eat more dark, leafy greens and other sources of iron. Vaughters says he's fine with the diet, so long as the results are good. "At the end of the day, I just want him to go fast." Vaughters says he was surprised when blood tests early this season showed Zabriskie's ferritin levels had remained stable on the vegan diet—which means his hemoglobin and red blood cell counts also remained normal. He says he's been pleasantly surprised by his performance. "He's won more time trials this year than he has in his career," Vaughters says. "The proof is in the pudding." ... Zabriskie also consulted with a professional motorcycle racer, Ben Bostrom, also a vegan, who advised Zabriskie to include small amounts of fish a couple of times a week because of the incredibly large load he puts on his body during training. "He told me, don't get too hung up on the word 'vegan'," says Zabriskie. The fish, Zabriskie says, helps his body absorb certain vitamins and iron.

2.51pm: Not long before Sky go out for those of you asking. Meanwhile Sean McKinley writes in with this:

Radioshack had every reason to push with BMC yesterday, they don't have one clear leader like Evans at BMC but they have a few guys who could do well like Levi and Chris Horner. And without a serious sprinter Radioshack is really only interested in GC they should take every opportunity especially this early to take whatever time they can out of Contador

2.55pm Team Gamin-Cervelo cross the finish line, heads bowed so low they can almost sniff the plastic on the water bottles, but it's worth the effort: their time of 24m48s is 12 seconds faster than Rabobank.

3.02pm: Astana are on their way. Meanwhile Gary Naylor writes:

The team take the time of their fifth rider over the line don't they? I always enjoy the camera panning back to the other four riders who are sitting up, possibly drinking champagne, freewheeling in like tourists.
You're almost right, Gary. The first five riders take the time of the team, however according to Sean Kelly on Eurosport, those further back get separate times. So no quaffing of champagne, alas, for the strugglers and stragglers ...

3.07pm: This from Chris Boardman:

55.6kph average for Garmin Cervelo on a windy circuit...that's a tough target......
Not according to the bookies, who make Garmin 9-4 shots to win this.

3.10pm Team Sky are on the road. Yesterday Geraint Thomas sounded confident of their prospects, saying they would go 'very close' if they rode well. If - and it's a largish 48-point sized 'if' - they do win the stage then Thomas will be in yellow this evening.

3.14pm Stephen Roche is talking up Sky's prospects today, calling them 'a machine'. Meanwhile Shriram Jambunathan is back defending his corner:

Radioshack attacked with a stranded Contador and Sanchez. Throwing my mind back to last year stage 15, why was it such an issue when Contador attacked Schleck and it was a mistake on Schleck's part to change gears while attacking? My issue is not with Contador losing time, as I believe if he is left behind on one stage it will make for an interesting race as he is just so strong but Sammy Sanchez doesn't have to pay because a fan stood too close to the peloton. Then again the daddy army of Radioshack don't have any realistic podium contenders (yes Leipheimer won the Tour de Suisse but there are some mighty mountains stages in the Tour and Schleck, Contador, Gesink, VDB and even Sammy should open big gaps to them) and are fighting Garmin Cervelo for the team classification. Sammy can do okay but podium seems far now. Gesink podium chances look better by the day.

3.18pm: There's a long way to go, but Sky are a second faster than Garmin at first time control ...

3.19pm ... But they've already lost both Knees and Zandio.

3.24pm Some interesting insights from Sky's Greg Henderson on Twitter about today's stage and the efforts required:

Short fast TTT. Can't ride into it. Have to start very hard and hold on. Ragged looking teams will be still quick ... TTT still av big watts. Last year Giro I av 396w for 35mins. Imagine what Wiggo must do.
As those of you who've ever ridden an exercise bike hard while looking at total wattage will know, averaging 396w over such a long period of time is immense ...

3.27pm Sky are now four seconds behind Garmin now through the second checkpoint ...

3.31pm Thanks for all your many emails - please keep them coming. Here's another from Ben Vanclay-Parker:

It's quite a twisty and narrow finish which should suit the HTC riders. Sky should be able to get a good lead on the open, fast parts of the circuits. If HTC win then it could be Cav in yellow at the end of the stage. I don't think that anyone can say a team attacked after Iglinskiy's crash yesterday. The pace was high, perhaps some teams came to the front that otherwise wouldn't but no one attacked, until Cancellara who should never have looked back.

3.35pm As Team Sky swerve and draft through the final curves of the circuit, Bradley Wiggins jumps out of the saddle - driving, driving, driving - in an attempt to get Geraint Thomas in yellow. But it's in vain: Sky finish four seconds behind Garmin.

3.37pm An awful start for Mark Cavendish's HTC team, as Eisel crashes shortly after getting underway. He was fourth or fifth back when his wheels gave way, and those behind him had to swerve pretty sharpish.

3.42pm While we wait for HTC to pass the first checkpoint, it's worth flagging this tweet from Cycling Weekly: So no yellow jersey for Geraint Thomas tonight, but that won't have done Bradley Wiggins' overall position any harm #tdf TTT

3.47pm Leopard-Trek, the team of world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara, are underway. Meanwhile HTC are 8.5 seconds down on Sky going through the first checkpoint - that's not a surprise; they're a man down having lost Eisel and there was certainly few moments of shock and hesitation when he crashed.

3.51pm A minor correction from Alan Sharkey. "HTC don't look great at the moment, but it's worth noting that even if they do pull something out of the bag, Cavendish wouldn't be in yellow, as Ben suggested. I'm pretty sure it would be the currently best placed HTC team member who would get the yellow jersey, which is Tony Martin." You're absolutely right Alan ...

3.55pm Radioshack finish in third place at 24m58s, 10 seconds behind Garmin-Cervelo. Meanwhile Leopard-Trek shoot through the first checkpoint in fourth place, seven seconds back. At this stage it looks a certainty that Garmin-Cervelo will win the stage.

4pm Omega Pharma Lotto, the team of the yellow jersey Philippe Gilbert, are the final team on the road. Surely they can't keep their man in yellow? Meanwhile more on Contador's crash yesterday, this time from Sam Barritt:

If Schleck got stick last year for the basic mistake of changing gear while standing on the pedals, surely Contador should take the blame for not being towards the front at the end of a flat stage. Most of his main rivals were switched on enough to do that.

4.03pm HTC, with Mark Cavendish pumping and pounding away in the final 200m, finish in third place, five seconds behind Garmin and a second behind Sky.

4.07pm So how important was the loss of Eisel for HTC? Sky's Greg Henderson has no doubts: it was very important:

One rider is worth 5secs? Bernie for sure! Bad luck HTC. Strong finish.

4.18pm: Apologies for the delay: technical issues. The big news is that Thor Hushovd will be in the yellow jersey, with his team-mate David Millar in second, Cadel Evans in third and Geraint Thomas fourth.

4.11pm An almighty lung-busting effort from Fabian Cancellara, who seemed to be on the front whenever the cameras flicked to Leopard-Trek, drags his team into joint third at the finish, five seconds behind Garmin-Cervelo.

4.25pm Stage two top five:

1. Garmin-Cervelo
2. BMC +4seconds
3. Sky +4s
4. Leopard-Trek +5s
5. HTC-Highroad +5s

4.30pm Thanks for all your emails over the past three hours. I'll leave you with this from the Guardian's William Fotheringham:

Spoke to David Millar few minutes after they finished. he looked horrible and said he ws not on a good day. suspect he feels better now

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