Overview
- Mathieu van der Poel launched a decisive attack on the last two climbs of the 209 km Stage 2 from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer to secure the victory and the yellow jersey
- He sits atop the general classification just seconds ahead of Tadej Pogacar; Jonas Vingegaard occupies third place after two stages
- Crosswinds in Stage 1 triggered echelons 17 km from the finish, costing Remco Evenepoel, Primož Roglič and others around 39 seconds
- Crashes in the opening stage included Filippo Ganna’s withdrawal; Benjamin Thomas and Mattéo Vercher also fell on cobbles, underscoring the flat terrain’s hazards
- Riders now face more flat, exposed roads prone to wind-driven splits before the high mountain stages arrive