Mathieu van der Poel won stage two of the Tour de France ahead of Tadej Pogacar in a dramatic sprint finish to claim the yellow jersey.
After adverse weather conditions that caused logistical issues, the start of the stage was delayed by about 15 minutes. Once racing finally got underway, a large leading group stayed together for much of the stage which boiled up into a mass sprint for the line.
Dutchman Van der Poel ultimately edged out Pogacar in a photo finish, with Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard taking third place. It meant that Jasper Philipsen, who had sprinted to victory on the opening stage in Lille, surrendered the yellow jersey to his fellow Alpecin-Deceuninck rider.
The 209.1km run through France’s extreme north from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, a town familiar to plenty of Channel hoppers, had provided an entertaining day’s racing and the hills at the end were just enough to dislodge the peloton’s pure sprinters, allowing the classics specialists to fight for victory.
Follow all of the latest from Stage 2 with our live blog below:
Tour de France Stage 2 live
- Tour de France continues with stage 2 from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer | Live on ITV and TNT Sports
- Mathieu van der Poel beats Tadej Pogacar with sprint finish to win stage two
- Van der Poel takes the yellow jersey with his victory
- Jasper Philipsen had been in yellow after claiming opening stage victory after day of chaos in Lille
Stage 2 report
17:47 , Callum Rice-CoatesRead our report on a memorable victory for Mathieu van der Poel:
Van der Poel emerges victorious ahead of Pogacar in Tour de France stage 2
Tour de France stage 3 preview: Crosswinds may jeopardise sprinters’ hopes
17:49 , Flo CliffordA long and gruelling stage two of the Tour de France ended with more excitement as Mathieu Van der Poel sprinted to the line ahead of Tadej Pogacar.
Van der Poel took the yellow jersey from Jasper Philipsen having won just his second ever stage at the Tour de France, while Jonas Vingegaard finished third behind defending champion Pogacar.
Tour de France stage 3 preview: Crosswinds may jeopardise sprinters’ hopes
Pogacar in polka dots
17:45 , Callum Rice-CoatesTadej Pogacar is in the polka dot jersey after today’s effort.
Tadej is your new King of the Mountains ❤️🤍@TamauPogi est votre nouveau @maillotapois ⛰️#TDF2025 l @TeamEmiratesUAE pic.twitter.com/whV2d28i0j
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2025
What to expect from stage 3
17:32 , Callum Rice-CoatesTomorrow’s stage should be a second bunch sprint finish in the first three days, although the climb of Mont Cassel during the latter part of the route and coastal crosswinds could be factors in creating splits in the peloton.
General classification standings
17:13 , Callum Rice-CoatesHere’s how things look after stage 2:
1. Mathieu Van der Poel (Ned - Alpecin-Deceuninck) 8hrs 38mins 42secs
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), +4secs
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), +6secs
4. Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), +10secs
5. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) "
6. Enric Mas (Spa-Movistar) "
7.Jasper Philipsen (Bel - Alpecin - Deceuninck) +31secs
8. Joseph Blackmore (GB - Israel - Premier Tech) +41secs
9. Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor - Uno-X Mobility) "
10. Ben O'Connor (Aus - Jayco AlUla) "
The man of the moment
16:59 , Callum Rice-Coates👑 M.V.D.P. 👑 #TDF2025 pic.twitter.com/3U336cYW7s
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2025
Van der Poel - "It was super difficult"
16:53 , Callum Rice-CoatesMathieu van der Poel: “It was super difficult - the final was actually harder than I thought. I was really motivated after four years since I won my first stage at the Tour de France. It was about time I won a second one. People put me as a favourite but I think you see which riders were in front on the climbs. I did a really good job to be there.
“The climbs were harder than I expected, was a really hard pace as well. It was a hard day and a nervous day again. It's a dream for a team the first two days. Everything else that comes now is just a bonus.”
Vingegaard finishes third
16:46 , Callum Rice-CoatesJonas Vingegaard finishes third behind Pogacar and Van der Poel.
VAN DER POEL WINS STAGE 2 OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE!
16:40 , Callum Rice-CoatesWhat a finish! The lead changed repeatedly but it was Van der Poel who timed his burst to the line perfectly, just beating Tadej Pogacar. He will take the yellow jersey.
VAN DER POEL WINS STAGE 2 OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE!
16:38 , Callum Rice-CoatesVan der Poel wins it!
1km
16:37 , Callum Rice-CoatesLipowitz leads, but the final kilometere is uphill and he’s losing speed. He’s caught and they’re all together again.
2km to go
16:36 , Callum Rice-CoatesFlorian Lipowitz attacks and creates a small gap to the chasing pack. Can he keep it up?
4km to go
16:33 , Callum Rice-CoatesVingegaard launches an attack! Out of nowhere, the two-time Tour de France winner picks up the speed, but he’s quickly reined in. Then Vauquelin goes again. They’re taking it in turns as the finish line draws ever nearer.
5km to go
16:32 , Callum Rice-CoatesGeraint Thomas is now up with the front group. Kevin Vauquelin attacks and leads.
8km to go
16:28 , Callum Rice-CoatesMatteo Jorgenson attacks and then drops off. The lead is interchanging but a group has emerged at the front now with one more climb to go.
9km to go
16:27 , Callum Rice-CoatesInto the final stretch now. Tiesj Benoot of Visma leads the way. Pogacar, Vingegaard and Van der Poel aren’t far behind.
Evenepoel in strong position
16:23 , Callum Rice-Coates11km to go: Remco Evenepoel is looking good at this stage, just off the front as we approach what promises to be a fascinating final 10km.
Next climb
16:18 , Callum Rice-Coates15km to go: Coming up is the Cote de Saint-Etienne-au-Mont, another category 3 climb with an average 9.5% gradient.
Into the final 20
16:13 , Callum Rice-Coates20km to go: A fast downhill section gives way to a flat stretch of road. One overzealous fan is practically shoved out of the way by an irritated rider. Not long to go now...
Brief breakaway
16:05 , Callum Rice-Coates26km to go: A group of riders, with most of the big names included, briefly break away and leave the peloton behind. But they have now dropped back.
Crash!
16:02 , Callum Rice-Coates29km to go: A stage that was quiet for so long has certainly come to life. A few riders come together and Jonathan Milan has to pick himself up. Geraint Thomas is involved too.
Visma lead the way
15:59 , Callum Rice-Coates30km to go: The pace is really picking up now. Visma are out in front, with Van Aert leading on the first category 3 climb of the Tour.
Peloton shaping up for final push
15:53 , Callum Rice-Coates36 km to go: There’s some jostling for position at the front of the peloton now. Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic and Mathieu van der Poel are being protected by their respective team-mates.
Yates in trouble
15:44 , Callum Rice-Coates42km to go: Adam Yates is on the side of the road and calling for a new bike. That will cost him some time.
Breakaway caught
15:33 , Callum Rice-Coates50km to go: The breakaway have been pegged back now as we enter the final 50 kilometres.
Fedorov takes intermediate sprint points
15:32 , Callum Rice-Coates53km to go: Yevgeniy Fedorov takes a valuable 20 points in the intermediate sprint.
Behind him, Jonathan Milan is visibly angry with Biniam Girmay after the two came together sprinting towards the line.
Peloton closing in
15:21 , Callum Rice-Coates60km to go: The breakaway group are now just 40 seconds ahead. Things are starting to heat up now.
Vingegaard waiting patiently
15:14 , Callum Rice-Coates64km to go: Jonas Vingegaard has kept himself quietly within the peloton throughout, alongside his Visma team-mates. Will he be at the front come the final stretch?
JONAS 👀🇩🇰#TDF2025 pic.twitter.com/7GFJ9SSiU4
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2025
Pogacar well placed
14:59 , Callum Rice-Coates75km to go: Tadej Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates appear to have done a typically good job of positioning themselves near the front of the peloton, which is slowly gaining on the breakaway. The lead is down to 1 minute and 33 seconds.
Breakaway lead cut
14:47 , Callum Rice-Coates84km to go: The four riders that broke away from the start are still out in front, but their lead has been cut from close to 3 minutes to just 1 minute and 42 seconds now.
Peloton getting stretched
14:44 , Callum Rice-Coates88km to go: The peloton is beginning to look much less bunched now, with some riders falling away and others maintaining a slightly quicker pace.
Crash in the peloton
14:26 , Callum Rice-Coates99km to go: A significant crash in the peloton: a few riders are down, including Eddie Dunbar and Fred Wright. The latter appears quite badly scraped and will likely need some medical attention.
Leknessund wins first KOM sprint
14:21 , Callum Rice-Coates104km to go: Andreas Leknessund takes the point for the first category 4 climb of the stage, sprinting to the line.
Van Aert on stage 2 finish
14:15 , Callum Rice-Coates107km to go: Wout van Aert is expecting an intriguing end to this slow burner of a stage.
“I think the last 10 kilometers are really interesting, with some steep climbs,” he said. “It's a beautiful classic course, it seems like it was designed for attacks... I hope to be there, and I suspect Mathieu van der Poel will be there too.”
Renard crashes!
14:11 , Callum Rice-Coates110km to go: A nasty fall for Alexis Renard of Cofidis, who is pushed wide to the side of the road in the peloton and comes crashing down. He’s unhurt, though, and picks himself back up.
Calm before the storm
13:51 , Callum Rice-Coates123km to go: The race has been relatively uneventful since the early breakaway was established, but that will likely change when we get to the major climbs later in the day. For now, energy is being conserved.
How much does each stage winner earn?
13:38 , Callum Rice-Coates133km to go: While things are quiet, here’s an interesting read on the earnings for stage winners at the Tour de France:
Tour de France 2025 prize money: How much does each stage winner earn?
Flemish architecture
13:23 , Callum Rice-Coates143km to go: As ever, there’s plenty to look at beyond the cycling at the Tour de France.
🤩 ARRAS 🤩#TDF2025 pic.twitter.com/BiUAz65VdN
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2025
Weather improving
13:12 , Callum Rice-Coates150km to go: No major drama yet on stage 2. Leknessund and Fedorov are back with the breakaway, and the weather is looking better: the rain has stopped and the wind has calmed down.
Leknessund and Fedorov fall!
13:00 , Callum Rice-Coates160km to go: Andreas Leknessund and Yevgeniy Fedorov from the breakaway fall victim to the weather, sliding and falling while taking a corner. Both are fine and look to get back with the breakaway.
Merlier wheel change
12:57 , Callum Rice-Coates162km to go: Soudal–Quick-Step’s Tim Merlier loses around 40 seconds as he gets a wheel changed. The breakaway are now 3 minutes clear.
Breakaway extend gap
12:47 , Callum Rice-Coates167km to go: Not much change as the peloton continue to cruise along. The breakaway group are now 2 minutes and 50 seconds ahead, having slightly increased the gap.
Wet Wet Wet
12:35 , Callum Rice-Coates177km to go: The spectators are enjoying themselves, despite the glum conditions...
When the Tour de France passes at 13:28, but you have a pool party at 13:30 🦞#TDF2025 pic.twitter.com/XdqfHvsZAC
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2025
Oliveira falls behind
12:22 , Callum Rice-Coates187km to go: Movistar’s Nelson Oliveira gets a flat tire and falls around a minute behind the peloton. He ups the speed in an attempt to rejoin the group.
Settling in
12:17 , Callum Rice-Coates190km: Not much to report at present. The peloton appear to be settling in for a long and not particularly pleasant ride in the wind and rain. The breakaway group are around 2 minutes and 30 seconds ahead, but not gaining much more ground.
Breakaway gaining ground
12:05 , Callum Rice-Coates200km to go: That group of four riders are now 2 minutes ahead of the peloton, who are keeping a steady pace. A long, long way to go in this one. Getting things right tactically will be crucial.
Small breakaway group
12:01 , Callum Rice-Coates204km to go: A group of four riders - Bruno Armirail, Yevgeniy Fedorov, Brent Van Moer and Andreas Leknessund - have broken away from the peloton. They have a 50 second lead.
Abrahamsen with an early attack!
11:57 , Callum Rice-Coates209km to go: No time wasted from Jonas Abrahamsen, who immediately attempts to sprint away from the pack. He doesn’t get very far, though. The weather is dismal in Flanders, wet and windy, so that could pose some problems.
Philipsen to "wear yellow with pride" on stage 2
11:51 , Callum Rice-CoatesJasper Philipsen, speaking to Eurosport: “I slept ok - it was a nice day. Everyone was pretty high after the win but today is a new day, with the wind and rain. I’ll wear the yellow with pride.
“We try to be up there and try to keep the lead within the team. Hopefully it can be a good day again but we have to be focused. We try to take responsibility and be there in the final - hope we have the legs.”
Stage 2 route map
11:41 , Callum Rice-CoatesHere’s what to expect from today’s stage:
We're off!
11:34 , Callum Rice-CoatesIt’s grey and overcast but the riders are underway - with a neutralised start - for a long and testing stage!
Adverse conditions in Lauwin-Planque
11:23 , Callum Rice-CoatesDue to adverse weather conditions causing issues with access to the village, the start of stage 2 has been delayed by 15 minutes. Start at 12.30 pm.
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2025
En raison des difficultés d'accès et des conditions météo, le départ de l'étape 2 est décalé de 15 minutes. Départ fictif à 12h30.
Stage 2 preview
11:12 , Callum Rice-CoatesIf riders were hoping for a relaxing stage 2 to recuperate then they may be disappointed: today’s stage is the longest of the entire Tour, 209km from the small village of Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer on the northern coast of France.
There are four categorised climbs, the latter three condensed into the final 30km, as well as plenty more uncategorised bumps and rises in a leg-sapping finish.
The climbs are short - none over 1.1km - but the cat-three Cote du Haut Pichot averages 10.6%, and takes place inside the final 10km, which could be enough to distance the fast men and narrow the field down to a reduced sprint. An enterprising late breakaway could be in with a chance at glory too, with the finish line itself is at the top of an uphill drag.
Philipsen emerges from the chaos to win stage 1
11:03 , Callum Rice-CoatesIn case you missed yesterday’s stage 1 action, here’s our report as Jasper Philipsen sprinted home to take the yellow jersey:
Jasper Philipsen emerges from the choas to win stage 1 of Tour de France in Lille
Tour de France 2025 – stage 2 live
Saturday 5 July 2025 21:13 , Lawrence OstlereHello and welcome along to live coverge of the 2025 Tour de France. After a wild stage 1 comes a long and unpredictable stage 2 in north-west France, finishing in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
