The first sprint point on the second stage was contested just over into the stage, at Duffield. After the sprint point, there were three successive first-category climbs on the parcours, coming at Cross o' th' Hands, Alstonefield and finally Morridge. The two final sprint points were at Chelford and Culcheth with the stage finishing, for the first time, at Knowsley Safari Park on the outskirts of Liverpool. The breakaway for the stage consisted of six riders, and they managed to remain off the front of the field for the majority of the stage. Making up the group were Liquigas-Cannondale stagiaire Matthias Krizek, Jack Bobridge of Orica-GreenEDGE, Peter Williams representing the Node 4-Giordana Racing team, Rapha Condor-Sharp's Richard Handley, Team Raleigh-GAC rider Russell Hampton and Pablo Urtasun for the Euskaltel-Euskadi squad. The sextet managed to establish a lead of over four minutes at one stage on the roads, but were gradually brought back by the peloton, led once again by Team Sky with assistance from Endura Racing; both teams were looking to set up their sprinters Mark Cavendish and Russell Downing respectively.