Stephen Williams outsprints Alaphilippe and Onley to win stage 2 and take overall lead at 2024 Tour of Britain
Cycling
After a thrilling day of racing on stage 2 at the 2024 Tour of Britain, Stephen Williams not only took the stage win but moved into the overall lead of the race also.
Eight riders got themselves in the day's early breakaway on stage 2, including the King of the Mountains leader, Callum Thornley. With around 50km to go however, the leaders were joined by an all-star chase group that included the likes of Julian Alaphilippe, Remco Evenepoel, Oscar Onley, Wout Poels, Joseph Blackmore, Stephen Williams and Ethan Vernon. Notably absent however, was INEOS Grenadiers and Tom Pidcock.
With the attacks continuing however, an elite group of eight riders headed into the final 10km. With Israel - Premier Tech and Soudal - Quick-Step having multiple numbers, each team were attempting one-two attacks. On the final Saltburn climb, Stevie Williams powered clear, with only Onley managing to hold on, although Alaphilippe did bridge the gap eventually. With that trio sprinting for the stage win, Williams took victory ahead of Alaphilippe, with Onley in third.
Read also
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Avoiding him is a good strategy, you get more wins and then you can compete in the TDF relatively relaxed. Pit yourself against Pogi and not only there will be no wins, it will be considerable mental setbackabstractengineer21-12-2024
- If you hold onto then, you blowup in a minute and then you finish 5 minutes down like Ben O'Connorabstractengineer21-12-2024
- Based on what argument?Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Agreed except the length of climbs, pretty sure you can stretch that to about a km unless we’re talking about half a dozen in quick succession.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Lot of contradictory information floating around world cup contenders, someone should do some tidying up.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- A bit much to suggest that Pogacar is better than MvdP on most terrains. The only terrain Pogacar is clearly better is long climbs, on any other terrain they are pretty even except flat cobbles and short and steep climbs (max a few 100 mtrs) where MvdP is clearly better than Pogacar.Velovibes21-12-2024
- The likelihood of RE improving enough at this point to outclass TP or JV is less than zero.verve82521-12-2024
- That’s the most stupid thing I’ve read for a long time, did you not go to school and learn even the most basic physics? Aero depends on one thing only, drag, drag depends speed and the relationship is squared and apart from maybe at zero or the speed of sound or due to side winds that relationship is valid at all speeds, it dies not “suddenly” start at a magic number. Very simply, the faster you go the more the effect becomes important. If you think 25km/h is needed to have noticeable effects you’re delusional, athletic WR are cancelled as soon as winds top 2m/s that’s 7.2km/h, why because the assistance is already too important at that speed and the times prove it. You don’t even consider wind which can significantly increase the effective speed for aerodynamics and you underestimate speed of climbs, 6% is ridden more at 30 than 25km/h, a speed at which early generation high rims were considered to have more advantages than disadvantages. And finally, as in normal races you can’t just switch bikes according to terrain, it’s pretty pointless to discuss climbs as a separate situation, the aero will have justified itself plenty during the rest of the ride.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- If you look at how much TP progressed in that 1 1/2 years you can no longer say that’s nothing. If Remco improves as much he’s a challenger!Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Froome wishing to ride the Vuelta...he won't even be selected for the team!frieders320-12-2024