Belgian Julien Vermote won today's gruelling second stage of the Tour of Britain 2016 through Cumbria.

The Etixx-Quick Step rider powered to victory after an arduous race that led some of the world's top cyclists from Carlisle to Kendal.

The win - in a time of 4 hrs 40 mins 50 secs - puts Vermote top of the general classification.

Briton Stephen Cummings, of Dimension Data, the same team as superstar Mark Cavendish, was second today just two seconds behind. He is also second overall, six seconds behind the Belgian.

Ireland's Dan Martin, an Etixx team-mate of Vermote, was third and is currently third-placed in the individual standings, 64 seconds behind him.

The race began in Carlisle city centre at 11am and riders powered through spectator-lined streets on their way to Cockermouth, Keswick, Ambleside and the finish up Beast Banks in Kendal.

Excited crowds gathered on Castle Way in Carlisle, waiting for Cavendish to emerge from the Dimension Data bus parked outside Tullie House.

A scrum of young and old admirers waited with pens poised and Tour of Britain magazines and cycling shirts at the ready for him to sign. People gathered an hour before the race, eager to see their hero, who emerged looking calm and collected before Stage Two of the tour kicked off.

He signed photos, magazines and shirts and chatted to people before heading to the start on his bike with his Data Dimension team mates, including Olympian Stephen Cummings.

Jane Tinning, of Little Corby, said: "I really like Mark Cavendish, he's such a great character. He brings something different to the sport, he's got something to say about everything.

"Next year I want him to come through Little Corby."

As traffic was stopped along Castle Way, spectators took up their positions, dotted along the both sides of the road from Carlisle Castle down to the McVities factory.

Drivers of the Tour of Britain cars, police motorbikes and a fire engine tooted and waved, gearing up the crowds as they cleared the way for the cyclists.

The best viewing point by far was on the Millennium Bridge, where spectators had a great view of the cyclists going down Castle Way to the roundabout and back up again. They could hear the cyclists laughing and joking with each other as they eased into the second stage of the Tour.

Rachel Iley, 36 and her two-year-old daughter Ceri Iley, saw the cyclists for a few seconds last year as they passed through their hometown of Brampton.

"We thought if we came onto the bridge we can see the cyclists and get a birds eye view," said Rachel, "We got a glimpse of Mark Cavendish, he seemed a really friendly fellow, quite chilled and relaxed."

Meanwhile, staff at Chivers stepped out of the sports shop on Castle Way to watch the cyclists go by.

Isobel Goodman, of Chivers, thought the Tour was "wonderful, absolutely wonderful".

She added: "It's such a good vantage point on the bridge. It's a nice atmosphere as well."

As the world's cycling elite made their way past skips and some of the worst flood-hit homes in the county the few spectators who gathered there got one of the best views they could.

People who watched the Tour of Britain from Warwick Road in Carlisle felt a gust of wind hit them in the face when the peloton whizzed past shortly after leaving the city centre.

A group of school children from Brook Street Primary School didn't know what to expect as they lined up on the side of the road on the bridge over the River Petteril.

Senior teaching assistant Diane Mellor said: "It's an exciting way to start an exciting new year." And she was just as excited herself, taking pictures and videos on her iPad, as many other frantic fans were doing.

Further down the street, year five and six pupils from St Cuthbert's Catholic Community School were in awe watching the race.

The tour's inclusion of Warwick Road as part of the Stage Two route brought a buzz of excitement to the street which, nine months ago, was devastated by several feet of murky flood water.

Keith Ellison, of Broadoaks Grange, off Eastern Way, was pleased the tour had been brought back to the city - and taken through one of the worst hit areas of the county - this year.

"It's a big deal. There's still a long way to go with the floods and this will just bring it back to the front again. It's good. People will see there's more to Cumbria than the just the Lake District. It's a lovely city and it's a lovely area. It really is. It's a big county and there's a lot more to it than lakes."

The 58-year-old decided to take up a prime viewing spot near the Lakeland Gate hotel. He'd been in the city centre ahead of the race but wanted to watch the cycling elite rush through the city a little closer to home and as close as he could get.

He said: "[Cycling] was a big highlight on the Olympics just gone and I thought it doesn't happen too often so I thought I'd get down into Carlisle. It's a good stage with a few hills as well. We've all been up them locally - in a car and struggled up The Struggle."

Rider Xandro Meurisse, of Wanty Groupe Gobert, was first in the day's second King of the Mountains climb at Chestnut Hill, Keswick.

Before the riders arrived in the town, Whinlatter Pass hosted the day's first King of the Mountain climb, which Nicolas Roche, of Team Sky, won.

That followed a sprint through Cockermouth, where an estimated 1,000 people had turned out to see the peloton race through the town.

Rider Andre Greipel, who won the opening stage of the tour yesterday, was first in the second sprint of stage two.

Among the spectators was Anya Wilkinson, who travelled from Maryport to watch the race.

She said: "It's really exciting. There was a very good crowd that came out to support it. It's a good event for Cockermouth."

The riders were slightly behind schedule when they arrived in the town.

Scott Allison, of the organising team, said the delay could have been down to a combination of factors including the weather, head wind and tactics.

The Cockermouth section of the race was marshalled by a 15-strong team organised by Allerdale council.

In Keswick, a further 1,000 lined the streets to watch the cyclists pass through.

Jill Harrison, of Gilgarran, said: "It was fantastic. It's so nice to see it in real life.
"We missed it in Cockermouth last year so we had to make it this year.

"It's a nice way to end the summer holidays."

About 200 people remained in Keswick's Market Square after the riders had left, watching the rest of the day's action on a big screen.

Grey skies and rain didn't deter cycling fans from turning out in Ambleside.

Paul Tyler, of Bluebird Lodge, Coniston, said: "I've cycled here today with my son Mark, we love cycling and watching it in real life is fantastic.

"Apart from the weather, the whole structure and safety of the event has been brilliant. I just hope that people watching the stage on the television will see the professionals cycling this area and be tempted to come and try it out for themselves.

"Hopefully that will be the legacy of the tour and we can bring more tourism, to the area."

Perhaps the man most wanted to see at the finish was Sir Bradley Wiggins, an eight-times Olympic medallist and Tour de France winner.

There was great confusion when he seemed to be missing from the pack and some watchers had started to leave when he rode up the hill, quite some way behind.


SIR BRADLEY WIGGINS' VIEW
Speaking to the News & Star before the start, he said today's Cumbrian stage is "the toughest on the tour".

The Tour's return to Cumbria is expected to deliver a major boost to the county's economy.

Among the riders are eight Rio Olympic medalists, including Cavendish and Sir Bradley.

Sir Bradley said: "People here [in Cumbria] are really enthusiastic for cycling and we always get a good reception. I don't expect today to be any different."

"This is going to be a really crucial day for everyone.

"This is probably the toughest stage of the tour - that's what everyone is touting it as."


THE TOUR'S IMPACT
Businesses had geared up for the event, having spent time making final preparations for the expected influx of spectators.

Richard Francis, head chef at the Fox and Pheasant in Armathwaite, near Carlisle, created a special menu.

He said: "It focuses on British food, so there's things on there like steak and ale pie, fish and chips - real favourites.

"We're hoping for a good turnout. We want people to make a day of it because the cyclists go past quite quickly."

The organisers had admitted they were "a bit worried" about how the competition would be affected after Storm Desmond struck Cumbria last winter.

Race director Mick Bennett said that everyone associated with the competition was impressed with how the county had bounced back.

He added: "We were a bit worried earlier this year because of all the devastation caused by the floods.

"But with us coming back it will show the place off and I'm sure the Lake District will be one of the most popular places to see.

"It's been amazing that Cumbria has been able to carry out all the necessary work which has allowed the Tour to go ahead."