Van der Poel Claims Stage 2 Victory, Seizes Yellow Jersey at Tour de France 2025
A thrilling sprint finish saw Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) conquer stage 2 of the Tour de France on Sunday, July 6, 2025, edging out a determined Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates XRG) and taking the coveted yellow jersey.
The Dutchman’s victory marks the second time he’s worn the maillot jaune in his career, though it came after a challenging stage where teammate Jasper Philipsen, previously in yellow, was unable to maintain pace in the final kilometers. “It was super difficult, the final was actually harder than I thought,” Van der Poel stated after the finish. “I was really motivated, it’s been four years since I won my first stage of the Tour de France,” he added, “It was about time that I won a second one.”
A Grueling Uphill Kick to the Finish
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) secured third place in the gruelling uphill sprint of approximately two dozen riders. The stage mirrored Saturday’s aggressive racing, with Vingegaard’s “Bees” consistently pushing the pace. Wout van Aert instigated a split around 30km from the finish, and U.S. rider Matteo Jorgenson launched a strong attack in the final 5km. The top of the General Classification (GC) now sees Van der Poel, Pogačar, and Vingegaard separated by a mere 6 seconds, setting the stage for a fiercely contested race.
Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Dream Start
Van der Poel entered Sunday’s stage as the clear favorite, but the classics-style final proved far from easy. He faced stiff competition from a formidable field of puncheurs and climbers on the 800m ramp to the finish in Boulogne-Sur-Mer. GC contenders Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) were present, alongside in-form riders Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling), Oscar Onley (Picnic-Post NL), and Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa). “Of course people put me as a favorite for today, but if you saw which riders were in front on the climbs, I think I did a really good job today to be there,” Van der Poel commented.
Here is a link to a photo of the finish: https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1677849999999999999
Yellow Jersey Shifts, Team Remains Strong
Despite the change in rider wearing yellow, Alpecin-Deceuninck continues to hold a strong position in the race. The Belgian team will begin Monday’s third stage with a rider in the lead, anticipating a week of stages well-suited to Van der Poel, Philipsen, or third leader Kaden Groves. “Yes, I think it is a dream for the team, the first two days,” Van der Poel said. “I think everything else now that comes now is just a bonus.”
Vingegaard’s Resurgent Form and Emerging Rivalries
The stage also hinted at a potentially new, more aggressive approach from Jonas Vingegaard. UAE Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike dominated the final 30km, with Visma-Lease a Bike setting a blistering pace over the Cat.3 Côte du Haut Pichot, shedding many of the sprinters. The final 10km saw a tactical battle between Pogačar and Van der Poel, featuring consecutive Cat.3 and Cat.4 climbs leading into a challenging uphill finish. Jorgenson’s attack over the first summit briefly fractured the lead group, with Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Van der Poel, and Pogačar at the forefront, forcing Roglič to fight to rejoin.
UAE Emirates attempted to control the pace with Jhonatan Narvaéz on the final climb, but Vingegaard launched a powerful acceleration over the summit, sparking a series of attacks before the final sprint. The Dane’s aggressive display raises the question: is this a new, more assertive Vingegaard for 2025?
Tension Flares in Intermediate Sprint
Adding another layer of intrigue to the race, an argument erupted during the intermediate sprint, 52km from the finish. Angry gestures and heated words were exchanged between Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Brian Coquard (Cofidis), and Paul Penhoëtt (Groupama-FDJ) following a sprint for points. The cause of the dispute remains unclear, but it suggests simmering tensions among the sprinters that could impact future stages.
The 210km stage, the longest of the race thus far, unfolded under challenging conditions, beginning with pouring rain that eventually gave way to drier roads. The early stages were marked by relentless tension as the peloton navigated the windswept North Sea coast. As the Tour de France progresses, the battle for the yellow jersey promises to be a captivating spectacle, with Van der Poel currently holding a narrow advantage in a race defined by aggressive tactics and emerging rivalries.
