VICTOIRE DE VICTOR LAFAY ! Sorti sous la flamme rouge, le coureur de Cofidis a réussi à creuser un écart suffisant et à résister au retour de Wout Van Aert et Tadej Pogacar qui complètent le podium sur ses talons au sprint ! #TDF2023
Victory for Victor Lafay on another thrilling day of racing at the Tour de France
CyclingSunday, 02 July 2023 at 17:21
Another day at the 2023 Tour de France and another thrilling stage. After the dual between the Yates brothers on stage 1 it was Victor Lafay who emerged victorious on stage 2.
The Tour de France has gotten off to an explosive and exciting start, and stage 2 in the Basque Country will also deliver some spectacle, as the riders tackle the Jaizkibel before the likely sprint in San Sebastián.
Despite a big battle to get into the break expected by many, three riders managed to ride clear relatively easily and drama free. Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies), Rémi Cavagna (Soudal - Quick Step) and the King of the Mountains Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost).
Their advantage quickly rose up towards 4 and a half minutes with the three taking the majority of points on offer at the intermediate sprint.
In the bunch behind, it was Jasper Philipsen that won the mini sprint for the remaining points, ahead of Sam Welsford and Mads Pedersen.
Powless was using his position in the breakaway to his advantage, taking maximum points in the first few climbs of the day, extending his lead in the mountains competition.
Mikkel Bjerg was on the front of the peloton for UAE Team Emirates and much to the chagrin of his own teammates, was trying to keep the pace high up the Côte d'Alkiza.
Meanwhile in the breakaway, Cavagna began to lose touch with his breakaway companions, leaving just Powless and Boasson Hagen up front.
With 50km to go, the gap between the leading duo and the peloton had been cut by Bjerg to just over two minutes.
As Powless accelerated again up front dropping Boasson Hagen, a nasty crash took place in a tense and stressed peloton.
Beginning the final and biggest climb of the day, Powless held a lead of 1:28 over the peloton that had been taken over by Jumbo-Visma and was being trimmed considerably.
When Rafal Majka took over for UAE Team Emirates, the group thinned even further and Powless was soon swept up as some high-quality riders including Thibaut Pinot and Julian Alaphilippe were dumped out the back of the group.
With bonus seconds on offer at the top of the climb, race leader Adam Yates took over from Majka near the top. It was Tadej Pogacar that took the maximum bonus seconds with Jonas Vingegaard taking second place and Simon Yates third.
Pogacar looked as if he was keen to keep the attack going on the descent. With Vingegaard shaking his head when asked for a turn though, the pair were soon caught by the rest of the GC leaders.
A counter-attack from Basque rider Pello Bilbao, riding on home roads then came and looked more dangerous for the stage win. Sadly it wasn't to be for Bilbao or Emanuel Buchmann who also tried his luck.
Into the final kilometre and the group of 25 riders remained all together. Victor Lafay then launched a big move and gained a gap.
In a thrilling finale, Lafay just about held on to take a truly brilliant win. Behind him, a visibly frustrated van Aert was second ahead of Tadej Pogacar who added another couple of bonus seconds to his time.
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- I wouldn’t assume Tadej can’t win at cross. He did a cross race, not a World Cup, a few years ago and crushed the field. It was a minor race. But he can win anywhere.mij23-12-2024
- I wonder what would happen if Pogacar attacked on the Cipressa instead of the Poggio in San Remo? Would MvdPoel still be able to follow?Ride197423-12-2024
- Debatable?Ride197423-12-2024
- The point is obvious: MVDP can beat Tadej on CX/Road and Tadej cannot. What is so hard to understand???averagecyclist22-12-2024
- Funny... one doper enabler backing the doper he enabled ! Who would have guessed.frieders322-12-2024
- Wouldn’t be here if I wasn’tMistermaumau22-12-2024
- So you're bored, got itvappaxbipmv22-12-2024
- Does everything need to have a point? If so, 99% of the internet should be wiped away. In relation to recent articles with quotes from other riders, my statement points to the ever more obvious reason why they are asked to comment on the effect of his return.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- If anyone would be interested enough to launch an official survey as to who out of these three should shut up, I don’t know who’d win but I’m due Boonen would be way back in 3rd place.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- And your point is what exactly?vappaxbipmv22-12-2024