Bouhanni wins 2nd stage of Tour of Beijing

BEIJING (AP) Nacer Bouhanni won the second stage of the Tour of Beijing on Saturday to take the overall lead.

Bouhanni, riding for the Francaise des Jeux team, clocked 4 hours, 59 minutes, 49 seconds on the testing 102-mile course.

Italian Roberto Ferrari of Lampre-Merida finished second while Australian Mitchell Docker of Orica-Green Edge was third.

"It was difficult but I had a good team around me to help me get back after each climb and Dominque Rollin was very helpful," Bouhanni said after his 10th victory of the season. "The (stage) victory at Paris-Nice was certainly a big victory, I got the yellow jersey, but this one is a good victory (too)."

Bouhanni leads the overall standings ahead of first-stage winner Thor Hushovd of Norway, with Frenchman Maxime Bouet in third.

Hushovd said he was happy with the way his team competed on the second stage.

"I was too many places back and then tried to go, and then I got boxed in so it was over," Hushovd said. "The team did a great job to control the breakaway. Unfortunately, we did a big effort and lost the stage and lost the jersey. But sometimes it's like this."

The third edition of the Tour of Beijing has five stages and ends on Tuesday.