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Goss takes lead in British tour
Australian Matthew Goss (SA.com) took the yellow jersey after the second stage of the Tour of Britain from Blackpool to Liverpool, won by Britain's Roger Hammond on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old won the stage from Holland's Aart Vierhouten, while Russell Downing (DFL) was third. Road race world champion Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Innergetic) was 16th.
In the overall standings, Goss was two seconds ahead of first stage winner Martin Pedersen (CSC) after picking up time bonuses from intermediate sprints.
Spaniard Luis Pasamontes (Unibet.com) was in third place and only eight seconds behind Goss as a three-way battle for the title took shape.
Davitamon-Lotto's Bert Roesems and Johan Van Summeren made an early breakaway but were caught up by the chasing back. That left a tight finish and Hammond, who also won the Blackpool stage last year, emerged from the peloton to snatch the stage win, and move into fourth place overall, with a dramatic sprint finale.
Stage
1. Roger Hammond (GB), Great Britain, 3:54:15
2. Aart Vierhouten (Ned), same time
3. Russell Downing (GB), DFL, s.t.
4. Mark Cavendish (GB) T-Mobile, s.t.
5. James Vanlandschoot (B) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, s.t.
Overall
1. Matthew Goss (Aus), SA.com, 7:57:35
2. Martin Pedersen (Den), CSC, at 0:02
3. Luis Pasamontes (Sp) Unibet.com, at 0:08
4. Roger Hammond (GB) Great Britain, at 2:44
5. Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Skil-Shimano, at 2:48
