Haedo sprints to narrow stage victory

Juan Jose Haedo sprinted to victory by about two bike lengths Tuesday in the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California and Levi Leipheimer retained a slim overall lead.

Haedo completed the 115.8-mile stage from Santa Rosa to Sacramento in 4 hours 40 minutes 39 seconds. The Argentinian won two stages of the race in its inaugural edition last year.

Luca Paolini of Italy, who rides for Liquigas, was second and Credit Agricole rider Thor Hushovd of Norway was third -- both in the same time as the winner.

The Discovery Channel’s Leipheimer took the race’s lead Sunday with his uphill prologue win in San Francisco, and holds a one-second margin over first-year pro Jason Donald of the Slipstream team.

Leipheimer finished the stage in 77th position Tuesday, when 137 of the 141 finishers were credited with the same time.

“I talked with my teammate Stuart [O’Grady] before the start,” said Haedo, who is in his first year with the Denmark-based CSC team. “He’s been in the Tour de France 10 times. He knows what to do. All I had to do was follow him.”

The eight-day race continues today with the 94.6-mile stage from Stockton to San Jose. The leg includes the race’s most difficult climb: the Sierra Road ascent about 75 miles into the stage.