Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team will defend the leader's jersey, currently held by sprinter Francesco Chicchi, after he pipped JJ Haedo (Saxo Bank) at the line during Monday's weather marred stage 1, which included a hail storm. Stage 2, which begins with a neutral start at 3 p.m. ART, is yet another stage ideal for a sprint. There is only one climb— a category 3 85.5 km into a 145.3 km stage. There are also sprint points at 59.2 km and 100 km (86.1 and 45.3 km remaining, respectively). Chicci's general classification time is currently 04:53.18. Three Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team riders are within 10 seconds of Chicchi's time: Levi Leipheimer (29th), Sylvain Chavanel (30th) and Bert Grabsch (31st). Frantisek Rabon, who had a minor crash, completed the first stage four minutes and 58 seconds behind Chicchi. Tom Boonen, who led out Chicchi to perfection on Monday, may have to repeat his work on Tuesday if the race comes to a bunch sprint once again.
"For more than a year I hadn't been able to clinch a victory," Chicchi said after his win on Monday. "Now I hope the situation can change. Argentina is lucky for me. I also won here in 2010. Now we can look ahead to the next stages with more serenity. The team is in good shape and we are all highly motivated. In the next few days we're going to try to do some more good things."
