Giro d'Italia Stage 2: Belfast > Belfast, 219kms

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Cadel Evans is all smiles before the start in Belfast - he had a successful day in yesterday's TTT...

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Giro d'Italia 2014

Svein Tuft's bike is a Pink one today - but will the tough Canadian dare to use it..?

Sander Armee is leading the Giro's first escape away - and they're gaining time quickly..!

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Michael Hepburn is already chasing for Orica-Green Edge, they have a seven-minute gap to shrink...

hepburn

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No pink bike, and no Maglia Rosa visible for Tuft - but he has Pink glasses and a Pink helmet..!

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Michele Scarponi is having an early lunch in the pouring rain...

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Phillip Deignan knows about rain in Ireland - he's not far from his Donegal home...

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Maarten Tjallingii leads the escape towards the northern coast of Ireland, but the tailwind will soon become a headwind...

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The peloton races past Dunluce Castle on its way to the feed-zone...

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Danilo Hondo gets his bike ready for a wheel change in Bushmills - I bet he'd rather have a nice whiskey..!

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Garmin's Andre Cardoso is in a crash at the feed-zone, but luckily with no injuries...

garmin

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Gianpaolo Caruso is injured - and he's out of the race..!

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Cameron Meyer is doing the work for Green Edge now - and the hills are just starting..!

green edgemeyer

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Armee leads the escape onto the first categorised climb of this Giro - but their lead is down to five-minutes...

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It's a very Irish sea-scene as the peloton hurtles after the escape...

Speed boats and helicopters track the Giro as it continues its way back to Belfast..

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As it says, Carnlough welcomes the Giro, and they'd probably like it to come back again too..!

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Irish fans follow the Giro on horseback on a beach somewhere in Northern Ireland...

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Romero takes over at the front, and their lead is still hovering at around five-minutes...

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Hepburn is back at the front where his day started - but at least the gap is closing now...

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Tom Stamsnijder takes over the chasing for Giant-Shimano...

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There's only one man in contention for victory in Belfast...

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Marcel Kittel wins stage two from Bouhanni and Nizzolo...

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Michael Matthews takes over the race-lead after finishing in eighth-place...

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