Nacer Bouhanni of the FDJ cycling team won a bunch sprint at the end of the second stage of the Vuelta de Espana (Tour of Spain) cycle race.

The 174 kilometers between Algeciras and San Fernando took the race to the far south-west corner of Spain and although it was relatively flat apart from a small climb close to the start the stage promised problems of its own, as it passed through an area notorious for strong winds.

That meant that although they were not going to compete for the stage win, the favorites for the overall classification had to be careful to avoid being caught in any splits in the peloton caused by the wind, which would see them lose precious minutes and perhaps even the chance of a place on the podium.

In the end there were no important splits as the weather remained calm and respected the riders on a hot afternoon. The main incident was a fall in the final kilometer which affected the Orica Green Edge riders Simon Clarke and Michael Docker.

There was the traditional attempted escape by a group of riders, but that was reeled in with plenty of time for the traditional sprinters teams to try and organize their lead out trains with FDJ battling it out with the Giant Shimano team, whose Marcel Kittle had dominated flat sprints in the recent Tour de France.

This time it was Kittle's fellow countryman John Degenkolb, who provided the main challenge, but Bouhanni was able to hold on in a relatively straightforward finish.

Results further down the field saw Alejandro Valverde take the leader's red jersey from his Movistar team-mate Jonathan Castroviejo.

Monday's third stage takes the race 198 kilometers from Cadiz to Arcos de la Frontera and four third category climbs promise to make it a stiffer test for the riders, while offering the chance for a breakaway rider to go for individual glory, although the downhill last 45 kilometers suggest the stage will end in another bunch sprint. Endite

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