Advertisement

Viviani wins Giro second stage, Matthews in pink

Italy`s Elia Viviani won a sprint finish for the second stage of the Giro d`Italia on Sunday over 177km between Albenga and Genoa.

Rome: Italy`s Elia Viviani won a sprint finish for the second stage of the Giro d`Italia on Sunday over 177km between Albenga and Genoa.

The Sky rider crossed ahead of Dutch cyclist Moreno Hofland and Germany`s Andre Greipel after 4hr 13min 18sec in the saddle, as Michael Matthews took the overall leader`s pink jersey from Orica teammate and fellow Australian Simon Gerrans.

Slovenian Luka Mezgec placed fourth ahead of Italian Alessandro Petacchi.

It was the first stage win in a major Tour for 26-year-old Viviani, a two-time world track championship medallist last February.

Matthews, 24, pulled on the pink jersey for the seventh time, after also grabbing it on the second stage last year.

Five riders -- Marco Frapporti, Lukasz Owsian, Giacomo Berlato, Eugert Zhupa and Bert-Jan Lindeman -- lead a long breakaway building a lead of nine minutes before being caught 11km from the line in the outskirts of Genoa.

The stage was also peppered with falls, notably Australian champion Heinrich Haussler and Italy`s Matteo Pelucchi who crashed in the final stretch.

Monday`s third stage is a 136km run through the Ligurian countryside between Rapallo and Sestri Levante.