Millar caught on the line in Dauphiné Libéré

Dauphine Libere 2009 stage two photo gallery, by Graham Watson>>

Britain's David Millar was denied victory in the second stage of the Dauphiné Libéré when he was caught inside the final 50 metres.

As the bunch sprint swamped Millar, it was Lampre's Angelo Furlan who got the win ahead of BMC's Markus Zberg.

The Garmin-Slipstream rider attacked with about five kilometres to go and used his time trialling ability to open a good gap on the run-in to Dijon.

Quick Step thought they had the race under control when the Stephane Augé (Cofidis), Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel) and Alexandre Pichot (BBOX Bouygues Telecom) were caught with around ten kilometres to go.

But Millar seized his opportunity and attacked hard. Going into the final kilometre he still had a good lead as Quick Step sought to set up the finish for Tom Boonen.

Millar held on until the very end, but it was not Boonen who won the stage. Instead Furlan and Zberg got past him. Ireland's Nicolas Roche was sixth. Millar was ninth but moves up to fifth overall.

Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) retained the leader's jersey by eight seconds from Alberto Contador.

RESULTS
Stage two: Nancy - Dijon, 228km
1. Angelo Furlan (Italy) Lampre

2. Markus Zberg (Switzerland) BMC

3. Tom Boonen (Belgium) Quick Step

4. Marco Bandiera (Italy) Lampre

5. Marcel Sieberg (Germany) Columbia-Highroad

6. Nicolas Roche (Ireland) Ag2r

9. David Millar (Great Britain) Garmin-Slipstream

Overall

1. Cadel Evans (Australia) Silence-Lotto

Cadel Evans safely kept his race lead

David Millar (left) narrowly missed out on stage victory

RELATED LINKS

Dauphine Libere 2009 stage two photo gallery, by Graham Watson

Duaphine Libere stage one: Evans wins opening time trial

Dauphine Libere stage on photo gallery

2009 Dauphine Libere preview