BRUSSELS, Aug 20, 2009 (AFP) – US rider Tyler Farrar of the Garmin team won the second stage of the Eneco Tour here on Thursday to consolidate his overall race lead in the ProTour event between Belgium and the Netherlands.

Farrar, who was adding this to his win in Wednesday’s first stage, got the better of Belarus rival Yauheni Hutarovich and Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen in a sprint finish.

The stage was marked by several breakaway attempts, the last of which was reeled in just 500 meters from the line.

“I never thought it was going to end in a sprint,” confessed Farrar.

“The race was uncontrollable, I was reduced to playing a hand of poker in betting on a possible bunching up.”

Farrar, who has a 13-second lead over Boasson Hagen in the standings, added: “I’m going to fight 100 percent to hold onto the lead.”

Friday’s third stage is a 158km run from Niel to Hasselt but one rider who will not be lining up for it is Andreas Kloden, the German Astana leader having fractured his left wrist in a fall 44km from the finish.

Kloden Hits The Deck

Another rider ruled out was Spain’s two-time winner Jose Ivan Gutierrez, who complained of stomach problems.

Results after the 178.1km second stage of the Eneco Tour ProTour cycling race here on Thursday:

1. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin 4hr 17min 53sec, 2. Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR) s.t., 3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) s.t., 4. Wouter Weylandt (BEL) s.t., 5.
Tom Veelers (NED) s.t., 6. Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) s.t., 7. Baden Cooke (AUS) s.t., 8. Alexandre Usov (BLR) s.t., 9. Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP) s.t., 10. Tom Boonen (BEL) s.t.

Overall standings
1. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin 8hr 41:09, 2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) at 13sec, 3. Tom Boonen (BEL) 14, 4. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) 19, 5. Bradley Wiggins (GBR) 21, 6. Joost Posthuma (NED) 21, 7. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) 23, 8.
Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) 23, 9. Maarten Tjallingii (NED) 24, 10. Nikolas Maes
(BEL) 24