Another day - and a long one - of controlled Italian racing down here at Tirreno. The first two-up attack of the day was gone instantly. Rabobank and Milram each tossed a few up front to keep things in control. It did seem like people underestimated the last climb.

After 180 km of cruising through some spectacular rolling hills, lush right now after some winter rain, the racing finally started up. Everybody raced for the base of the climb and the throw down ensued.

The hill proved to be more of a climb and the race blew to sheds with about 50 guys battling for the stage and the rest of us rolling in easy. Funny how in France it would have been balls-out to the finish in little groups, but here everybody is content to just relax and cruise it in. Not a complaint here!

For those of us here as prep for the Classics ahead, we couldn’t ask for anything better. Fortunately our GC guys stayed right where they needed to be and are all looking good going forward.

Tomorrow should be another fairly chill day until the end. But a 2 km wall, 20% in spots, that we hit 20 km to go should shake things up.

- Will

Slipstream stage 2 results
1. Raffaele Illiana 5:01′10″ (40.4 kph)

17. Ryder Hesjedal
38. Timmy Duggan
63. David Zabriskie
101. Martijn Maaskant
132. Julian Dean
133. Chris Sutton
134. Will Frischkorn
162. Magnus Backstedt

Slipstream GC after stage 2
1. Enrico Gasparotto 9:11′05″

18. Ryder Hesjedal
52. Timmy Duggan
61. David Zabriskie
93. Chris Sutton
136. Martijn Maaskant
144. Julian Dean
145. Will Frischkorn
165. Magnus Backstedt