Despite a big crash in the final turn of Stage Two at the Tour De France in Brignoles, there was no change in the overall general classification. Stage Two was a hot, hilly race from Monaco to the Provencal town of Brignoles. Under bright skies and temps in the mid-90’s, the 180 riders of the peloton headed west from Monaco, through Nice and across the small county roads of Provence. Stage 2 passed through the perfume capital of Grasse, near the Grnd Canyon of France in the hinterlands of the Var departement and eventually finishing in Brignoles, a small town that was once the the summer residence of the counts of Provence.

Columbia sprinter Mark Cavendish took the stage win, while SRAM-equipped Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara kept the Maillot Jaune of Tour De France leadership despite a dangerous crash in the last 500 meters. SRAM Red equipped rider Romain Feillu (Agritubel) sprinted to a superb third place in Brignoles, while Milram’s (SRAM-equipped) Gerald Ciolek placed fifth.

Cancellara said post-stage, the SRAM Red equipped race leader was visibly affected by the hot day, "With 40km to go, I asked my team director how hot it was and he told me it was 40 degrees (102 degrees farenheit) on the road. Today it was really terrible, like being in an oven out there! But it’s the summer and so we’ll deal with it. It’s the same for everybody. This is the Tour De France. It was a fast start today and my team worked well today and then at the end the sprinters teams came in. Now I’m looking forward to a massage and to recuperate for tomorrow’s stage."

Astana’s Alberto Contador was 58th on Sunday and agreed with Maillot Jaune Cancellera that the heat was a factor Sunday. "The temperature is a real problem," said the Spaniard. "Ten minutes after the stage finished, I was still very hot and sweaty." Looking forward, Contador said "Tuesday’s team trial is important, but it is also important we get through Monday’s stage without any problems or risks. I am pretty relaxed; my form is good and I feel fine." His Astana teammate, seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong declared, "Days like today are just incredibly hot and hard for everyone. I just wanted to avoid trouble and get into the rhythm of the race, because yesterday’s time trial wasn’t really a normal stage. We had an important day here today and then we are on our way to the Pyrenees."

Astana’s Alberto Contador gave up his Maillot Pois of Best Climber but maintained his second place on general classification. Two SRAM Red equipped teams maintained supremacy at the 2009 Tour; Astana maintained the leadership in the Team classification, while Maillot Jaune Cancellara’s Saxo Bank is sitting 2nd, just 31? behind.