Hutarovich stuns Cavendish in sprint finish

Yauheni Hutarovich claimed victory on the second stage of the Vuelta a Espana today after stunning Mark Cavendish in a sprint finish, although it was not enough to wrest the leader's red jersey off the Briton.

Belarusian Hutarovich of the Francaise des Jeux team scorched past favourite Cavendish following a bunch sprint at the end of the 173.7 kilometre ride from Alcala de Guadaira to Marbella to win the stage in a time of four hours, 35 minutes and 41 seconds.

Cavendish was second, meaning he keeps the overall lead after helping his HTC-Columbia team win the team time-trial on the opening day of Vuelta yesterday.

American Tyler Farrar was third behind Hutarovich and Cavendish today, Alessandro Petacchi of Italy was fourth, with fifth place going to Portuguese Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso.

Nicolas Roche crossed the line in 29th place, in the same time as Hutarovich. Philip Deignan crossed the line in 152nd place, also in the same time as Hutarovich. Roche moves up to 99th from 114th in the overall standings, 45 seconds behind Cavendish. Deignan also moves up in the overall standings. He was 185th, but is now placed 173rd, two minutes and five seconds off the overall lead.

On a sweltering hot day in the south of Spain, a group of four riders - Javier Ramirez Abeja, Mickael Buffaz, Johnnie Walker and Mickael Delage - broke away after four kilometres and they boasted an advantage of over seven minutes a third of the way through the stage.

The quartet lost Buffaz when the Swiss suffered a nasty fall that ended up seeing him pull out of the Vuelta with a fractured collarbone.

The remaining three riders continued to stay ahead of the rest, although they were caught by Marcos Garcia at around the 129km mark after the Spaniard had staged a solo breakaway from the peloton.

However, the four leaders were unable to keep their advantage over the main body of riders and, with just over 10km to go to the finishing line, they were swallowed up by the chasing pack.

That set up a sprint finish, where Hutarovich emerged victorious for his first Vuelta stage win.

Tomorrow's third stage of the Vuelta a Espana sees the riders race 157.3 kilometres from Marbella to Malaga.

Tour of Spain second stage results/standings.

Provisional result and overall standings after the 173.7km second stage of the Tour of Spain from Alcala de Guadaira to Marbella on Sunday:
1 Yauheni Hutarovich (Belarus / FDJ) 4 hrs 35 mins 41 secs
2 Mark Cavendish (Britain / HTC - Columbia) same time
3 Tyler Farrar (U.S. / Garmin)
4 Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Lampre)
5 Manuel Cardoso (Portugal / Footon)
6 Koldo Fernandez (Spain / Euskaltel)
7 Robert Foerster (Germany / Milram)
8 Ben Swift (Britain / Team Sky)
9 Andreas Stauff (Germany / Quick-Step)
10 Samuel Dumoulin (France / Cofidis)
Overall standings
1 Mark Cavendish (Britain / HTC-Columbia) 4hrs 49mins 35secs
2 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Belarus / HTC - Columbia) +12"
3 Peter Velits (Slovakia / HTC - Columbia)
4 Tejay Van Garderen (U.S. / HTC - Columbia)
5 Matthew Goss (Australia / HTC - Columbia)
6 Hayden Roulston (New Zealand / HTC - Columbia)