Hivert breaks Team Sky's winning run at Romandie

Tour de Romandie 2012 stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

Well, three British Team Sky wins in a row was asking a bit much, wasn't it?

Frenchman Jonathan Hivert (Saur-Sojasun) broke Sky's winning run in the 2012 Tour de Romandie, winning the uphill bunch sprint ahead of Rui Costa and Luis Leon Sanchez at the end of stage two in Moutiers.

Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol) and Christian Meier (GreenEdge) were the breakaway rabbits being chased by the pack of hunters, with Team Sky setting a pace for race leader Bradley Wiggins.

Mark Cavendish suffered a mechanical at the foot of the last climb, 35 kilometres out, and wasn't able to get back on.

On the twisting, uphill finale, Hivert made sure to position himself near the front before accelerating clear with eighty metres to go.

And Bradley Wiggins? There was no repeat of yesterday's bunch sprint heroics: he kept out of the fray, crossing the line safely with the

bunch to maintain the race lead.

Results

Tour de Romandie stage two, Montbeliard to Moutier, 149.1km

1. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur-Sojasun

2. Rui Costa (Por) Movistar

3. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Rabobank

4. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto-Belisol

5. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda

6. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan

7. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-ISD

8. Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha

9. Allan Davis (Aus) Greenedge

10. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana

General classification after stage two

1. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky

2. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Sky at 7 secs

3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 9 secs

4. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank at 9 secs

5. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Barracuda at 11 secs

6. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Movistar at 11 secs

7. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank at 11 secs

8. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Barracuda at 12 secs

9. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha at 12 secs

10. Ruben Plaza (Spa) Movistar at 12 secs

Christian Meier and Lars Bak in the escape

Jonathan Hivert wins

Bradley Wiggins enjoying the spoils of being race leader

Tour de Romandie 2012: Related links

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one: Wiggins makes it two for Team Sky

Prologue: Geraint Thomas takes first WorldTour win