SANTA CRUZ, California, Feb 16, 2009 (AFP) – American Thomas Peterson won the second stage of the Tour of California on Monday while countryman Levi Leipheimer seized the leader’s yellow jersey and Lance Armstrong was well back.
.
Astana’s Leipheimer, second in the 186.6km stage from Sausalito to Santa Cruz, arrived at the finish line about two minutes ahead of Spain’s Paco Mancebo, the Rock Racing rider who took the lead on Sunday by winning stage one.

Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner from the United States making a comeback
this year from retirement, was at the end of the pursuit group some 30 seconds behind Garmin’s Peterson and Astana teammate Leipheimer.

Leipheimer moved away from the peloton on the mountain Bonny Doon, 30km ahead of the finish, after working hard for Astana. He was cautious on the dangerous descent and as a result took the lead in his bid for a third consecutive title.

Results on Monday in stage two
of the Tour of California, 186.6km from Sausalito to Santa Cruz:

Stage Two
1. Thomas Peterson (USA/Garmin) 5hr 6min 20sec, 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) same time, 3. Michael Rogers (AUS) at 21, 4. Christopher Horner (USA) s.t., 5. Oscar Sevilla (ESP) s.t., 6. Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL) s.t., 7. Thomas Danielson (USA) s.t., 8. Robert Gesink (NED) s.t., 9. Grischa Niermann (GER) s.t., 10. David Zabriskie (USA) s.t.
Selected: 13. Lance Armstrong (USA) s.t., 27. Francisco Mancebo (ESP) 1:52, 41. Floyd Landis (USA) 1:52.

Overall standings after stage two
1. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Astana) 9hr 23min 02sec, 2. Michael Rogers (AUS) at 24 secs, 3. David Zabriskie (USA) 28, 4. Lance Armstrong (USA) 30, 5. Christopher Horner (USA) 34, 6. Janez Brajkovic (SLO) 38, 7. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE) 38, 8. Jose Luis Rubiera (ESP) same time, 9. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) s.t., 10. Robert Gesink (NED) 39.
Selected: 13. Ivan Basso (ITA) 42, 29. Floyd Landis (USA) 6:04, 111. Carlos Sastre (ESP) 30:11