Englishman Nick Salmon leads Tommy Evans of Banbridge by two seconds after the first two stages of the Tour of Ulster. Salmon is riding with the Ards team over the weekend.

On Saturday's opening stage of 95 miles from Lisburn to Enniskillen a group of nine went ahead after just three miles and then with 20 miles to go, Salmon and Evans left their companions. At the finish Salmon was two seconds ahead of Evans, with Neil Teggart at the head of the rest three minutes and 29 seconds in arrears followed in by Conor Henry and Ciaran Power.

On yesterday's 87 miles from Enniskillen to Cootehill Evans broke away with Henry and Michael Smyth and they gained an advantage of a minute, but Salmon's team-mates led the chase after them and the trio were overhauled.

Then Power and Karl Donnelly made the decisive move and at the finish Power, who is riding with Glendale, took the stage honours nine seconds ahead of Mel Sutcliffe with Henry next.

As Evans and Salmon were a minute and 10 seconds behind the leaders, Power and Donnelly took over third and fourth places at 2:19 going into this morning's third stage to Dungannon.