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6d ago

Van der Poel’s Sprint Edge Delivers Stage 2 Win and Yellow Jersey

Mathieu van der Poel holds a slender four-second lead over Tadej Pogacar ahead of stage three’s crosswind-threatened run to Dunkirk under the shadow of Team Cofidis’s bike theft investigation

Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 2 - Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer - Boulogne-sur-Mer, France - July 6, 2025 Alpecin-Deceuninck's Mathieu Van Der Poel celebrates winning stage 2 REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 2 - Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer - Boulogne-sur-Mer, France - July 6, 2025 Alpecin-Deceuninck's Mathieu Van Der Poel after winning stage 2 Pool via REUTERS/Tim De Waele
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 3 - Valenciennes to Dunkirk - Dunkirk, France - July 7, 2025 Soudal Quick-Step's Tim Merlier crosses the finish line to win stage 3 REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 2 - Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer - Boulogne-sur-Mer, France - July 6, 2025 Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Wout Van Aert and Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard in action in the peloton during stage 2 REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier

Overview

  • Mathieu van der Poel edged Tadej Pogacar in a photo-finish sprint to win the 209.1 km stage from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer.
  • The victory marked van der Poel’s second career Tour de France stage win and secured him the yellow jersey from teammate Jasper Philipsen.
  • Van der Poel leads the general classification by four seconds over Pogacar, with Jonas Vingegaard two seconds further back.
  • About 30 riders broke away from the peloton in the final 2 km, setting up the decisive uphill sprint that determined the stage outcome.
  • Team Cofidis is probing the overnight theft of 11 Look Cycle bikes from its truck ahead of Monday’s 178.3 km flat stage to Dunkirk.