Ongar's Mark Cavendish still leads the Dubai Tour despite being beaten in stage two by Elia Viviani earlier today.

The Etixx-QuickStep rider was given the ideal lead out by his team-mates but was left behind by a burst of speed from Viviani, who claimed his first win for Team Sky following his winter switch from Cannondale.

Cavendish's time of 4.29.59 was the same as Viviani's but the Italian rider crossed the line ahead of the 'Manx Missle', who remains in possession of the blue race leader's jersey.

However the 29-year-old's lead at the top of the general classification has been cut by two seconds following Viviani's win.

With 300m to go Cavendish was sat on the wheel of lead-out man Mark Renshaw but when Andrea Guardini emerged from his slipstream to instigate the sprint, the Isle of Man-born rider was unable to match the intensity of Viviani's sprint.

Stage two result

1 Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky, 4:29:59
2 Mark Cavendish (GB) Etixx – Quick-Step, same time
3 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana, st
4 Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha, st
5 Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai, st
6 John Degenkolb (Ger) Giant-Alpecin, st
7 Daniele Ratto (Ita) UnitedHealthcare, st
8 Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing, st
9 Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo, st
10 Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiano-CSF, st

General classification

1 Mark Cavendish (GB) Etixx – Quick-Step  
2 Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky, +2secs
3 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana, +6
4 Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare, +11
5 Ben Swift (GB) Team Sky, +13
6 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, same time
7 Alessando Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare, st
8 Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo, +14
9 Rafael Valls (Esp) Lampre-Merida, +15
10 Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha, +16