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news
Tour de France Stage 2: Peter Sagan wins stage and takes the yellow jersey (+ highlights)
Bora-Hansgrohe’s Peter Sagan has won today’s second stage of the Tour de France and with race leader Fernando Gaviria of Quick Step Floors among the riders involved in a big crash with two kilometres remaining, the world champion leads the general classification and takes over the yellow jersey.
The crash happened in the middle of the bunch just after the peloton had sped through a right-hand bend and left just 15 riders in contention for the stage win on the drag up to the finish in La-Roche-sur-Yon.
Sagan followed a move from Groupama-FDJ rider Arnaud Demare, who would finish third with Sonny Colbrelli of Bahrain-Merida pipping the Frenchman to second spot, although his charge came too late to reel in the stage winner.
The world champion’s win was accompanied by a protest from Trek-Segafredo’s John Degenkolb, with Sagan’s pursuit of Demare seeming to force the German to brake to avoid crashing into the barriers.
Not in contention for today’s sprint was Katusha-Alpecin’s Marcel Kittel, the German – third on yesterday’s opening stage and wearing the green points jersey – puncturing with around 7 kilometres remaining.
The dramatic finale to the stage from Mouilleron-Saint-Germain followed a day on which Sylvain Chavanel of Direct Energie, who are based in the Vendée region, spent most of the day alone at the front of the race.
Among riders involved in other crashes today was Mitchelton-Scott’s Adam Yates, who came down with 25 kilometres remaining but was brought back to the bunch by several team mates.
Following the stage, Sagan said: "I have to say a big thanks to my team-mates. They rode at the front for the last 30 kilometres. In the end, I expected something easier but it was a very tough course, with a lot of ups and downs.
"I believed it was better to wait as long as possible to launch my sprint. Démare started with Degenkolb. I could overtake them. I was very lucky that Colbrelli didn’t jump fast enough to pass me.
"I’m very happy to get the yellow jersey too. To wear it for one day or more, it’s always special" he added.
"We’ll try to keep it after the team time trial. Everything is possible."
Tomorrow's Stage 3 features a 35.5 kilometrre team time trial starting and finishing in Cholet.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
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As I've already mentioned, I'll be happy to point out any errors in future 🤗
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The people causing traffic jams complaining about the traffic jams
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12 comments
It's normal, not against the rules, so not really wrong. In the event last year Sagan was initially thought to have hit out. Sagan hasn't been given carte Blanche any more than others. Fwiw I think Sagan is a really good sport. The moves of his you object to a done in pretty much every major sprint, so Sagan is on the receiving end as often as not. Like Cav, when you win more it's noticed more
My view on this is different to yours. I like Sagan, but I believe he is dishing out far more than he receives.
And it is very definitely wrong. Degenkol was't whining like a girl when he complained, he was chopped and reacted like anyone else on the receiving end of such a move.
because everyone does it does not make it right.
I agree that you do notice it more when its the guy winning... look at Cavendish as a prime example, however I believe there needs to be some clearer rules in this area. Bit like the not changing line under braking rule used in motor racing.
I agree that cav has been accused of exactly the same and it does, to a degree come with the territory. It does not make it right however.
what worries me is that the fiasco at last year's tour, and the subsequent let off or whatever has given sagan carte blanche to do what he likes.
As he said in his post race interview, we can expect to see a lot more of these moves over the coming few weeks.
What needs to happen is someone gives him a bit of his own. It is magicall effective, just look at poor old cav now. A few runs across the tarmac and he's not getting involved.
your headline says Dagan not Sagan (on cover page)
Sagan again showing he's either a piss poor bike handler or deliberately and recklessly coming across riders at speed. And as per the cav incident absolutely pointless, should have been demoted. No penalty just green lights the same thing as it does elsewhere in racing plus makes it harder to penalise later as yu've set your stall out, and indeed is replicated on our roads too, same psychology.
Oh yeah. . thats right. . . the world champion 3 years running is "a piss poor bike handler". I propose you have a piss poor handle on reality BTBS. Seriously, replicated on our roads? what are you going on about here?
it was an either or question... so if you think his handling is fine, it means... we’ll you get the idea. It was a rude swipe, one I think the uci should be looking to stamp out.
It’s easy to be the best, well easier anyway, if you ride like a Cnut. That was a bit Cnuty to me.
It was a statement, not a question....
You will find few sprint finishes in the TdF, or any other world tour race that don't look like that. Cav has been accused of it in the past, as have Demare, Robbie McEwen and (who can forget Abdujaparov?) most other top sprinters. It goes with the territory, and always has done. Of course BTBS thinks the guy acknowleged as probably the best bike handler in the peloton is a piss poor bike handler, because he likes indefensible positions. BTBS also lives in a black and white world, so can only deal with binary propositions such as "either /or" Sagan certainly deliberately took the line he did, but I doubt he did it recklessly. BTBS might also like to pontificate on Colbrelli's 'dangerous swerve' in the closing metres.... or not.
He dived for a wheel that Degenkolb really wasn't on. Could call it a chop, or just taking a place but Degenkolb was going backwards.
I do agree though, consistency in the rules and their application would be splendid...
The winner will be the last man riding. At least all these crashes are distracting the media and the masses from Froomie.
Henri Desgrange was reportedly to have said the ideal race would be to have only one rider make it to the finish line in Paris.
Tour de carnage so far