Mark Cavendish was beaten into second as Orica GreenEdge's Lee Howard won the second stage of the Tour Of Britain.
The crowds were out in Nottingham for the start of this stage to Knowsley Safari Park.
Six riders were in the break and it was Peter Williams who took the opening two Yodel sprints before Jeremy Hunt who has announced his retirement at the end of the season, crashed along with Ian Bibby with 61.4kms to go.
The rain came down as the six riders including Jack Bobridge of Orica GreenEdge, got a minute and twenty seconds ahead.
The third sprint came at Culcreth and saw Williams take his third sprint of the day to put himself in the sprint jersey, ahead of Krizek and Perez.
The intermediate sprints over for the day, it was now fifty kilometres of racing to the finish line.
Another crash involving the likes of Magnus Backstedt happened with 16kms to go as the peloton, which was all back together, headed into Merseyside.
Marchin Biablocki of the Node 4 team attacked with 8kms to go. He stayed away until 3.2kms to go when he was swept up.
With no control, the attacks continued until Sky's Christian Knee and Brad Wiggins nullified them.
Wiggins was on the front with race leader Luke Rowe just behind him, Mark Cavendish was blocked but he managed to spot a gap and surged to the line but was pipped by Lee Howard and Boy Van Poppel in a time of 4.31.06 .
Luke Rowe keeps his leaders jersey
Stage Two, Nottingham to Knowsley, 180.7km
1) Leigh Howard, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, 4:31:09
2) Mark Cavendish, GBR, Team Sky, same time
3) Boy Van Poppel, NED, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, same time
4) Steele Von Hoff, AUS, Garmin - Sharp, same time
5) Russ Downing, GBR, Endura Racing, same time
6) Sep Vanmarcke, BEL, Garmin - Sharp, same time
7) Wesley Kreder, NED, Vacansoleil - DCM, same time
8) Nathan Haas, AUS, Garmin - Sharp, same time
9) Sam Bennett, IRL, AN Post Sean Kelly, + 0.01
10) Luke Rowe, GBR, Team Sky, + 0.01
Rouleur Combativity Award: Jack Bobridge, Orica GreenEDGE
IG Gold Jersey, General Classification, following Stage Two
1) Boy Van Poppel, NED, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, 9:22:04
2) Leigh Howard, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, same time
3) Luke Rowe, GBR, Team Sky, + 0.01
4) Rony Martias, FRA, Saur Sojasun, + 0.04
5) Mark Cavendish, GBR, Team Sky, same time
6) Russ Downing, GBR, Endura Racing, + 0.06
7) Steele Von Hoff, AUS, Garmin - Sharp, + 0.10
8) Sep Vanmarcke, BEL, Garmin - Sharp, same time
9) Nathan Haas, AUS, Garmin - Sharp, same time
10) Peter Hawkins, IRL, Team IG - Sigma Sport, same time
Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification, following Stage Two
1) Boy Van Poppel, NED, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, 27pts
2) Russell Downing, GBR, Endura Racing, 24pts
3) Luke Rowe, GBR, Team Sky, 21pts
4) Leigh Howard, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, 15pts
5) Rony Martias, FRA, Saur Sojasun, 15pts
SKODA King of the Mountains Classification, following Stage Two
1) Pablo Urtasun, SPA, Euskaltel - Euskadi, 30pts
2) Russell Hampton, GBR, Team Raleigh - GAC, 26pts
3) Richard Handley, GBR, Rapha Condor, 25pts
4) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor, 22pts
5) Jack Bobridge, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, 21pts
Yodel Sprints Classification, following Stage Two
1) Peter Williams, GBR, Node4 - Giordana Racing, 15pts
2) Rony Martias, FRA, Saur Sojasun, 12pts
3) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor, 9pts
4) Jonny Clarke, AUS, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, 7pts
5) Matthias Krizek, AUT, Liquigas - Cannondale, 7pts