The second stage of the Tour de France 2025 was won by Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who out-sprinted race favorites Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard in a tight finish.

The longest stage of this year’s tour was delayed after rain prevented team buses from parking on time, and the lousy weather did not let up throughout the day. The end of the stage was also marred by strong headwinds, responsible in part for the failure of Vingegaard to make his attack count in the closing five kilometres.

A heightened risk of crashes led to more cautious riding earlier on, with no rider able to launch a decisive breakaway.

Kazakhstani Yevgeniy Fedorov, riding for the XDS Astana Team, was an early faller alongside Andreas Leknessud. Both men were able to get back on and continue, but were not to feature prominently among the finishers.

Those who were, included the main contenders for the overall classification, yet Stage Two is still too early to get more than a general idea of form. The sprint victory of van der Poel, therefore, is unlikely to be an indicator of his potential to cause an upset come July 27. He will, however, be delighted to be back in yellow and even more so to have helped his Alpecin-Deceuninck team retain the jersey that Philipsen won yesterday.

Stage Two featured three main climbs, success on which saw Tadej Pogačar awarded the polka dot jersey at the end of the day. Climbs in the flatter, earlier stages pale into insignificance compared with the giant, iconic Alpine and Pyrenean mountain ascents, but still matter. 

Pogačar will not be seeking to retain the polka dot given his priority of winning his fourth tour overall – bigger fish to fry, as the saying says. His power on the shorter ascents today sent out a statement to his rivals, nevertheless, and despite losing the sprint finish, the Slovenian looked very strong all day.

Mathieu Van Der Poel

Van der Poel, known as the Flying Dutchman, born in Belgium, is a versatile cyclist who also competes in cyclo-cross and mountain biking. Not considered a contender for overall victory, his pedigree is impressive nonetheless. His father, brother, and grandfather boast the kind of cycling success even some top riders can only dream of.

Van der Poel himself has amassed an extensive collection of wins on two wheels and is known for winning a world championship while wearing a $300,000 watch. This was provided by his sponsors, Richard Mille, the luxury brand, a fitting partner for a classy rider.

Van der Poel was well worth his win today, and just as much his day in yellow tomorrow, although it is unlikely that the privilege will continue into Stage Four.

The Alpecin-Deceuninck team, dual sponsored by a hair-restoring lotion and a window company, has now won the opening two stages, with Jasper Philipsen among those tipped to win tomorrow’s. The sprinter has doubtless targeted more wins, and the Valenciennes to Dunkirk ride is likely to go to a sprint finish, as did the opening stage.

Tour De France 2025 Favorites

As for the favorites, Vingegaard’s attack towards the end of the stage today, when approaching Boulogne-sur-Mer, was notable. Whether his intention was to take the win, to gain time on Pogačar, or to let his rivals know of his superiority is something we can only speculate about. 

What is beyond doubt, however, is that Vingegaard and Pogačar seem set to deliver an epic battle to rival others from the great tours of days gone by.

The overall classification is already starting to hint at that, any big changes later on would be a shock, to say the least.

End Of My Tour de France Rant

If you are giving Le Tour a go for the first time, hang in there. The opening four or five days mean more than they seem to, but in truth seem like a procession of racing bikes.

When the peloton gets to the mountain, the cream, along with the powerful legs of these supreme athletes, rises to the top.

Few then doubt why this race is the most popular annual sporting event on the planet.