Michael Matthews of Orica GreenEdge has won the second stage of Tour Of Alberta in Canada.
Stage two was in the County of Grand Prairie and twenty kilometres into this 171,6km stage, Cesare Benedetti of Bora-Argon18, Phil O'Donnell of Axeon, Ben Perry of Silber, Thomas Vaubourzeix of Lupus were in the break.
On a day where temperatures were around six degrees and there was rain, the break had a lead of 3.15 as Benedetti took the first sprint at Beaver Lodge and the second sprint at Currie Dino Museum to go into the sprint leader's jersey.
Silber's Ben Perry took the first climb of the race and the points on offer and then Perry, Benedetti, O'Donnell broke clear and were fifty five seconds ahead of a Jelly Belly led peloton with twenty five kilometres left.
Only Benedetti was left with 8.3kms to go but on the climb, he was caught and Tom Jelte Slagter, Dan Eaton, Ryan Roth and Dion Smith took over.
Everyone was back together with three kilometres to go and in the pouring rain, three World Tour teams in Katusha, Orica Green-Edge and Giant Alpecin were controlling the peloton.
The sprint was on and it was Michael Matthews of Orica GreenEdge who took the win in 4.10.19, ahead of Niklas Arndt of Giant Alpecin, Alexey Tsatevich of Katusha, Travis McCabe of SmartStop and Irishman Sam Bennett of Bora Argon 18.
Race leader Bauke Mollema of Trek Factory Racing finished in 18th place and loses his jersey to Michael Matthews.