New start from Place Masséna this Sunday at 1 p.m. For the 38th time in the history of the Tour de France, Nice will be the start of one of its stages. Just like the day before, it will once again be the finish. In 2013, the Australian team Orica-Greenedge won in a team time trial and Simon Gerrans took the yellow jersey of leader.
On the program for this 2nd stage, which is 186 km long, is a hilly course promising for climbers, leading the riders to the Upper Country of Nice to Saint-Martin-Vésubie. They will tackle several first and second category climbs such as Col de la Colmiane (1st category), Col de Turini (1st category), and Col d’Eze (2nd category). They will pass the finish line for the first time, located as the day before, on the Promenade des Anglais before starting a final 18 km loop through the Col des Quatre Chemins towards Quai des États-Unis. A stage that seems well-suited to the qualities of the Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, who is expected to be active in the final. He will have to watch out for the experienced Spanish rider (40 years old) Alejandro Valverde, who might favor the finish. Who will succeed the Norwegian Alexander Kristoff, winner of the first stage?
The favorites of the day:
* Julian Alaphilippe (FRA/Deceuninck-Quick Step); Alejandro Valverde (ESP/Movistar)
Primoz Roglic (SLO/Jumbo-Visma); Sergio Higuita (COL/EF Pro Cycling); Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE-Emirates).
* Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ/Astana); Dan Martin (IRL/Israel Start-Up Nation).
General classification:
1. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/UAE-Emirates) in 3h 46’23”
2. Mads Pedersen (DEN/Trek-Segafredo) 4 seconds behind
3. Cees Bol (NED/Sunweb) 6 seconds behind
4. Sam Bennett (IRL/Deceuninck-Quick Step) 10 seconds behind
5. Peter Sagan (SVK/Bora-Hansgrohe) same time
6. Elia Viviani (ITA/Cofidis) s.t.
7. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA/NTT Pro Cycling) s.t.
8. Bryan Coquard (FRA/B&B Hotels-Vital Concept) s.t.
9. Anthony Turgis (FRA/Total Direct Energie) s.t.
10. Jasper Stuyven (BEL/Trek-Segafredo) s.t.
Supplementary classifications:
Green jersey: Alexander Kristoff (NOR/UAE-Emirates) 59 pts, worn by Peter Sagan (SVK/Bora-Hansgrohe).
Polka dot jersey: Fabien Grellier (FRA/Total Direct Energie) 2 points
Young rider: Mads Pedersen (DEN/Trek-Segafredo) in 3h46’17”.
3 non-starters: John Degenkolb (GER/Lotto-Soudal, time cut); Rafael Valls (ESP/Bahrain-McLaren, abandoned 1st stage); Philippe Gilbert (BEL/Lotto-Soudal, abandoned 1st stage).
