Sagan takes the Lead in the Tour

Sagan takes Tour Stage 2 and Yellow Jersey

Peter Sagan, of Tinkoff, won Stage 2 and for the first time since he began racing in the Tour, Sagan has earned the yellow jersey as race leader today. This was Sagan’s first Tour stage win since 2013. So far, the Tour has had two veteran cyclists wear the yellow jersey who have never worn it before in the first two days of competition.

The 182 km stage from Saint-Lô to Cherbourg resembled a Classics race with mostly flat terrain, narrow roads and short, but steep climbs. At the end of the stage was a 2 km Category 3 climb, the Côte de La Glacerie, with a 500 meter 14% portion. Cyclists who do well in the spring Classics would do well on this stage while pure sprinters would have a hard time, with GC contenders mixed in toward the front of the peloton.

Four riders led a breakaway group formed three kilometers into the stage, Paul Voss (Bora-Argon 18), his teammate Cesare Benedetti, Vegard Breen (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo). The group built up a gap of up to six minutes on the peloton 100 km to the finish. Astana, BMC, and Tinkoff led the peloton chase of the breakaway group, after Dimension Data led the peloton during the first half of the stage.

Benedetti fell back to the peloton with 25 km to go, leaving three cyclists pedaling toward Cherbourg in a light rain.Stuyven broke away from the other two cyclists with 8.5 km remaining in the stage. While it looked like Stuyven would survive to win the stage on a short solo breakaway, the peloton caught him with 500 meters to go. Then the teams quickly lined up for the final sprint. Sagan, Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) sprinted toward the finish line. Sagan edged them out for the stage win.

Even though it is early in the Tour, two pre-tour favorites have already fallen behind in the race. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) has crashed twice in two days. After crashing in yesterday’s first stage, he slept poorly and was stiff today. Unfortunately, he crashed again today, and he failed to stay with the other contenders on the last climb of the day within the last few kilometers of the stage finish. Contador has had an impressive lead-up to the Tour, but that may be all for naught. Richie Porte (BMC) was assumed to co-lead the BMC squad on the Tour, with Tejay Van Garderen. Poorte suffered a tire puncture within 4km of the finish and had a slow tire replacement from the neutral service team, causing Porte to fall 1:59 behind the yellow jersey. For both cyclists, so early in the Tour, the deficits are not fatal to their chances of victory. But these deficits moves them off of the top contender spotlight for the next week or so.

Stage Results

1. Peter Sagan TIinkoff 04h 20' 51''
2. Julian Alaphilippe Etixx-Quick Step 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
3. Alejandro Valverde Movistar Team 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
4. Dan Martin Etixx-Quick Step 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
5. Michael Matthews Orica–BikeExchange 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
6. Wilco Kelderman Team Lotto NL - Jumbo 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
7. Tony Gallopin Lotto Soudal 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
8. Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
9. Bauke Mollema Trek - Segafredo 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''
10. Chris Froome Team Sky 04h 20' 51'' + 00' 00''

Overall Standings

1 Peter Sagan Tinkoff 8:34:42
2 Julian Alaphilippe Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:08
3 Alejandro Valverde Movistar Team 0:00:10
4 Warren Barguil Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:14
5 Christopher Froome Team Sky
6 Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team
7 Nairo Quintana Movistar Team
8 Roman Kreuziger Tinkoff Team
9 Simon Gerrans Orica-BikeExchange
10 Daniel Martin Etixx - Quick-Step

11 Fabio Aru Astana Pro Team

18 Tejay Van Garderen BMC Racing Team

28 Vincenzo Nibali Astana Pro Team 0:00:25

62 Alberto Contador Tinkoff Team 0:01:02

81 Richie Porte BMC Racing Team 0:01:59

Team Standings

1.	Orica–BikeExchange	25h 44' 48''
2.	Team Sky	00' 00''
3.	Movistar Team	00' 21''
4.	FDJ	00' 22''
5.	ASTANA PRO TEAM	00' 26''