Tour de France Stage 2 2021-06-27

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Event
Tour de France Stage 2

Date
Sun 27th June 2021 (UTC)
Sun 27th June 2021 (Local)

Timestamp
2021-06-27T10:30:00

Time

10:30:00 UTC (12:30:00 Local)

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League
UCI World Tour

Season
2021

Round
23

Status

Location

Video Highlights

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Description

The name says it all: the Wall of Brittany, which they will climb twice. The 10% uneven ramps make the third category port, with which this 183-kilometer journey ends, transform into a colossus of Celtic mythology, into a stone giant capable of dynamiting the stage in favor of the cyclists specializing in classics.

Reports

Result List

01	Mathieu van der Poel	04h 18' 30''
02	Tadej Pogačar	04h 18' 36''
03	Primož Roglič	04h 18' 36''

Result Description
For the second day in a row, the riders faced a hilly course with another uphill finish. This time, the riders finished atop the climb of Mûr-de-Bretagne, which featured on the route for the fourth time in the last ten years. There were six categorised climbs on the route and the intermediate sprint took place after 85 kilometres (53 mi). The climb of Mûr-de-Bretagne is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long with an average gradient of 6.9 per cent. The first kilometre averages at 9.8 per cent before easing towards the top. The climb is featured twice on the route, with the riders cresting the top of the climb for the first time with 15.3 kilometres (9.5 mi) left and then at the finish. The first ascent also offered eight, five, and two bonus seconds to the first three riders to crest the top.

As a result of injuries inflicted from the crashes in the previous day, Marc Soler (Movistar Team) became the fourth rider to abandon the Tour. After several attacks marked the start of the stage, six riders eventually broke away from the peloton, including the king of the mountains leader, Ide Schelling (Bora–Hansgrohe). The sextet was allowed to build a gap of around four minutes before Deceuninck–Quick-Step began to chase the break. Schelling and his closest rival in the mountains classification, Anthony Perez (Cofidis), each took a point at the first two climbs of the day. After the six breakaway riders took the maximum points at the intermediate sprint, Caleb Ewan (Lotto–Soudal) outsprinted Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck–Quick-Step) to take more points in the battle for the green jersey. On the third climb of the day, Edward Theuns (Trek–Segafredo) attacked from the break, with Jérémy Cabot (Team TotalEnergies) the only other rider to respond to his attack. However, the duo's advantage gradually decreased as the riders reached the foot of the climb of Mûr-de-Bretagne for the first time.

As soon as the duo was caught at the foot of Mûr-de-Bretagne, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Fenix) attacked from the peloton. He would build an advantage of around 13 seconds before UAE Team Emirates gradually decreased his advantage. He would pick up the eight bonus seconds at the top while Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) outsprinted Primož Roglič (Team Jumbo–Visma) to take back three seconds from his fellow Slovenian. van der Poel was caught at the top before Ineos Grenadiers took over at the front of the peloton. As the riders reached the bottom of Mûr-de-Bretagne for the second time, Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates) accelerated, building a small gap before Nairo Quintana (Arkéa–Samsic) produced a counterattack of his own. Sonny Colbrelli (Team Bahrain Victorious) also attacked just under the flamme rouge before van der Poel made his decisive move with 800 metres to go. He continued to build his lead before soloing across the finish line. Pogačar, Roglič, and Wilco Kelderman (Bora–Hansgrohe) crossed the line six seconds in arrears, with Pogačar outsprinting Roglič for second to take back two more seconds from his compatriot. The remnants of the reduced peloton crossed the line a further two seconds in arrears. One notable absence in this group was Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), who came home at 23 seconds behind van der Poel and 17 seconds behind the two Slovenians. In the GC, van der Poel took enough time to take the maillot jaune, with Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck–Quick-Step) dropping to second at eight seconds back. Pogačar moved up to third at 13 seconds behind and one second ahead of Roglič, who dropped to fourth. van der Poel also took the lead in the mountains classification after he took maximum points on both ascents of Mûr-de-Bretagne.

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