Our first day of wheel-to-wheel racing is a flat stage from Red Bluff to Yuba City. It's not the most strenuous at 167.7km and so it should be relatively easy for the Peloton to control resulting in a group sprint.
This should be a very competitive stage as there are plenty of talented riders all offering different talents.
An aggressive start here as plenty of riders look to take the opportunity to get away.
The Peloton not keen to let too many riders get away. At the first intermediate sprint it's White who leads Stoltz through.
Still 125km remaining and these 2 have a gap of only 57 seconds at this point. Lord looked like he may be able to bridge the gap but he's moved back towards the Peloton.
5km later and the breakaway is "caught". More riders then try their luck as well.
We do finally have a breakaway with a gap at 100km to go. 4 riders are up front consisting of Kawasaki, Arias Villanueva, Plapp and Stoltz. They have a 54 second gap to White and a further 1'09 to the Peloton.
The gap is 2'26 for our leaders to the Peloton where BNZ and Glanbia are the teams doing the majority of the chasing with the support of Caja Rural as well.
White is the first caught by the Peloton. The gap for the quartet up front is 2'09.
35km remaining and the gap is 1'28. The pace in the peloton finally being lifted.
It's within a minute now with 20km remaining as the Peloton crest the only small bump of the day.
The sprint with 13km to go is won by Kawasaki ahead of Plapp and Stoltz. The gap is 40 seconds.
The catch is only made with 3.5km to go. Glanbia have a well set-up train for Bennett while most others are there or there about.
2.5km remaining and it's still Glanbia at the front for Bennett while there is a long line of the other sprinters through the middle of the road.
Approaching the kite and it's Baterdene on the left-hand side leading the way for Rajovic. On the right-hand side it's Frame leading out Bennett.
600m now and it's looking like it'll be between Rajovic, Bennett and Gibbons is there too.
Rajkovic leads with 200m to go but it's tight between this line of 4!
He holds on by less than a wheel! Rajovic wins Stage 2 with Bennett 2nd. What a great start for the Kiwis who make it 2/2 here in California.
Gibbons is 3rd ahead of Guardini. Disappointing from the likes of Guerao in 6th and Keough in 8th.
Stoltz becomes the first non-BNZ rider to lead a classification as he moves into the GC lead thanks to the bonus seconds from the intermediate sprints.
Kopfaud and Rajovic share the lead in the Points. Erdenebat keeps his lead in the U25s. BNZ also keep the lead in the Teams.
Tour of California - Stage 2 Report 
