Aaron Gate has continued XDS Astana's spectacular run of 2025 success with a stunning last-minute victory on stage 2 of the Boucles de la Mayenne, edging out stage 2 winner Pierre Latour to go top of the GC.
Stage 2 between Sainte Suzanne and Bais was decided with four circuits of a demanding 26 kilometre circuit with repeated ascents of the Mont Rochard and Montaigu climbs, and a fast descent to the finish.
Latour went clear 13 kilometres from the finish, only to be caught almost within sight of the line by Gate, who then outpowered the TotalEnergies racer to clinch the stage. Milan Menten (Lotto) won the bunch sprint for third, five seconds back.
Gate now leads by just a few hundredths of a second thanks to his better placing in the opening prologue, but with bonus seconds on offer on the final undulating 163.9km stage on Sunday between Javron-les-Chapelles and Laval, the race is far from decided.
Meanwhile, thanks to Gates biggest success since winning the Tour of Hainan last year, XDS Astana have now clinched 17 victories this season to date, 12 more than in the whole of 2024.
