Stage 2 - Lauren-Planque to Boulogne-Sur-Mer - 209.1k
In days past often the first stages were taken more casually with only the last number of kilometers being fast as they went for sprints. No longer is this true and if you come into the Tour not in great shape you may leave in great shape but a long way behind. No longer to you work yourself into shape.
It was a wet start to Stage 2 but as is usual a break worked to go off from the gun. Had number of crashes but unless someone drops out overnight no withdrawals due to crashes that I know of. These early stages are just so nervous as everyone still is in the race and people are working out there place in the peloton - well all but for the big guns like Pogacar and Vingegaard.
They raced for the top of the Cat 3 climb that ends at about 29.8K to go as once over there were expected winds so the teams of the big guns got to the front to make it hard on a short roughly 1.1K climb. Tim Wellens was first over and Poggy 2nd and they worked for a split and did get rid of some riders and even the front group was stretched out. Keep in mind the goal here is not always to lose them on that particular climb but to work to deaden leges for the 2 climbs to come before the jaunt to the finish. Philipsen did make it over at the top but these types of climbs are what he is used to racing in Belgium most always seems to do well on them.
The front regrouped with a few off the back but a large group up front as the pace is kept up to make sure most don't get a great deal of rest before the next Cat 3 1k climb that starts at just under 10k from the finish. Don't forget the roads between are not flat so still hard and everyone wanting to be near the front. Then over the front on the next to last climb we had all the top guys, but for Roglic, with Poggy first then Vingegaard and Remco and MVDP all there with a few others to take a group off the front to descend to go for it on the last climb.
The last climb was a Cat 4 0.8k climb about 5k from the end, keep in mind the finish has is a small climb. On the way to the final climb MVDP puts in a push in and there was a small regrouping of a few riders who caught on during the descent with Philipsen trailing just off the front group. As I said no testing or getting in shape on these early stages since if you are not ready you are out the back. SO the gourd went over the top pretty much together but pushing it and then getting ready for the final to the finish.
Over the top Vingegaard went for it with Remco and Poggy on his wheel but it for sure strung it out the group behind. Once he gave up the front others took over to go for it with less than 5K to go - three got a small break with Matteo Jorgenson in the front three but the rest working their way back on with 2.5K to go and Philipsen not in the picture for this finish. Fun to watch everyone waiting to show their hand with one slightly off the front with a 1.5k to go but with 1K to go they all sort of get back together with the kick up to the finish. Great to see Alalphilippe up there, he got 5th on the stage, but MVDP was right there just waiting for the final push. Amazing to watch MVDP ratchet it up sitting and then he went with Poggy on his wheel and Vinegaard on his wheel and Poggy could not get by with Vingegaard 3rd - what power.
Once again Alpecin did everything right - sure when you have the power of MVDP you have an advantage but if you are not in the right place it can often be for nought. I think after the 3rd climb out it looked like MVDP was looking for the win as he did not let the front be far from him. Then in the final he waited till he was far enough out to make it a power sprint but not so far as to let Poggy and others run him down. Poggy came up on him at the line but was still back as MVDP timed it perfectly - denying Poggy his 100th win, hey it is inevitable to come baring a crash that takes him out - it is bike racing. The group was strung out but the way they time the group is all about gaps so if no gaps you can be a handful of seconds back and still get the same time as we saw today. The danger is that once the race officials call a gap you are then given the actual time of that next group but look like the first 26 riders all got the same time - MVDP, Poggy and Vingegaard got time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds. Unfortuanly for Philipsen he was the first rider it looks like that got gapped so he ended up with a 31 second gap.
If you came into this race looking to get into shape you may do so but it is going to painful and you are going to be seeing the back of the peloton till you round into shape and by then may be a long ay being GC wise. For some that is not all bad as it can allow them later to get in breaks and for wins as they hold no danger of moving up significantly in GC. Actually, this is often the plan of riders once they lose the front as why work super hard to still be a handful of minutes behind when you can rest some and work to find a day that fits your strengths and you feel ready and go for a stage win - happens every year.
With the fighting at the front already the is shaping up to be a battle - and maybe a battle of who cracks first.
Race Highlights:
- Winner - Mathieu Van Der Poel
- Yellow Jersey - Mathieu Van Der Poel
- Green Jersey - Jasper Philipsen
- Polkadot Jersey - Tadej Pogacar
- While Jersey - Romain Gregoire
Next up Stage 3 - Valenciennes to Dunkerque - 178.3k - Flat with one 2.3 K Cat 4 climb topping out about 34k from finish.
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