Tour of Britain: Petr Vakoc takes overall lead with solo stage two win

Petr Vakoc launched his stage-winning attack with 19km remaining

Etixx - Quick-Step's Petr Vakoc took the lead of the Aviva Tour of Britain with a brilliant solo win on stage two in Colne.

The Czech champion joined an eight-man breakaway on the 159.3km-road from Clitheroe to Colne before heading out alone with 19km still to race, holding off the chasing group on a punishing run-in to win by seven seconds from Juan Jose Lobato.

His stirring solo performance was enough for a 10-second bonus and the overall lead, 11 seconds ahead of Lobato and 15 clear of Edvald Boasson Hagen, who took the six-second and four-second bonuses on offer for second and third.

Vakoc has opened up an 11-second overall lead

Vakoc said: "It was a really hard race, I am so happy I could finish it with a win. I had really good legs, so I attacked, and stayed clear.

"This is a huge success for me, one of the biggest victories of my career so far. It was a long day out front alone and it's so beautiful to have this win added to my palmares. Now I am the race leader, which is a huge honor."

Vakoc, who had ridden prominently during stage one, and seven other riders broke away from the main group at the top of the day's final climb, at one stage opening a 45-second advantage.

Mark Cavendish (front left) and former race leader Elia Viviani finished in a group almost 22 minutes down

The leading group was broken up by Vakoc's attack 19km from home, and it seemed certain the 23-year-old would be swallowed up when five remaining chasers were reeled in at the 13km mark.

But despite the best efforts of Tinkoff-Saxo, IAM Cycling and Cannondale-Garmin, all of whom took their turn at the head of the chasing pack, Vakoc remained clear on the uphill finish before crossing the line and collapsing to the ground.

Vakoc's team-mate Mark Cavendish, within a whisker of victory on day one, was among a large group that trundled in almost 22 minutes behind the winner.

Stage two result

1 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step, 4:02:22

2 Juan Jose Lobato (Esp) Movistar, +7sec

3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN-Qhubeka, +9

4 Rasmus Guldhammer (Den) Cult Energy, same time

5 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step, st

6 Owain Doull (Gbr) WIGGINS, st

7 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal, st

8 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing, st

9 Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar, st

10 Javier Mejias (Esp) Novo Nordisk, st

General classification

1 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step, 8:28:41

2 Juan Jose Lobato (Esp) Movistar, +11sec

3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN-Qhubeka, +15

4 Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing, +17

5 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky, +18

6 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin, same time

7 Owain Doull (Gbr) WIGGINS, +19

8 Graham Briggs (Gbr) JLT Condor, st

9 Rasmus Guldhammer (Den) Cult Energy, st

10 Serge Pauwels (Bel) MTN-Qhubeka, +25