Dauphiné: Phonak's Gutierrez takes Stage 2 and overall lead

VeloNews | Tuesday's EuroFile: Gutierrez takes over at Dauphiné; Hamburger not happy with Danish fed'

José Enrique Gutierrez Cataluña took overall leadership of the Dauphiné Libéré on Tuesday, finishing 7 seconds ahead of the field. The gap moved Gutierrez 8 seconds ahead of Euskaltel-Euskadi's Iban Mayo, 9 up on Phonak teammate Tyler Freaking Hamilton, and 10 seconds up on Lance Armstrong, and Phonak's Oscar Pereiro and Cyril Dessel. American Levi Leipheimer of Rabobank is 10th, 20 seconds back.

Gutierrez said after the stage that he made a break after hearing that Hamilton was having a rough day.

Hamilton for his part said he had felt the effects of not racing for more than a month as he finished 42nd in the stage, though little damage was done in terms of time as he managed to get back to the peloton on the descent.

"The first stage of over 200km on Monday wrecked my body and I need five or six days hard racing to really get back in the groove.

"I didn't want to really push it as there is the Tour de France to come," added the 33-year-old, who finished fourth in last year's Tour despite fracturing his collarbone.