Frenchman Kevin Vauquelin wins second stage in Bologna, Tadej Pogacar in yellow

The Slovenian attacked on the last climb on Sunday, only followed by Jonas Vingegaard. Romain Bardet lost his yellow jersey.

Italy suits them perfectly. After Romain Bardet on Saturday, Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa – B&B Hotels) won the second stage of the Tour de France between Cesenatico and Bologna, Sunday June 30. It is the first time since 1968 that two French riders have triumphed in the first two stages of the Grande Boucle. The Norman won ahead of Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) and Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ).

Starting in the breakaway at the start of the stage in the company of ten other escapees, Kévin Vauquelin took advantage of the exit slip left by a peloton disinterested in victory. With almost ten minutes in advance 60 kilometers from the finish and before the final sequence of the last three climbs, the leading men were, barring a major turnaround, assured of winning.

Already comfortable in the first ascent of San Luca, the rider from the Arkéa-B&B Hotels team made the difference in the second passage on these steep slopes (1.9 kilometers at 10.2% average), to drop the white jersey with red polka dots Jonas Abrahamsen and Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) who had held on until then. For his first Tour de France, the native of Bayeux (Calvados) confirmed his very good form of the season which saw him take second place in the Flèche Wallone and the French time trial championships.

In the group of favourites, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) tested the competition on the steepest slopes of San Luca. Only Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) was able to follow, reassuring about his fitness as he has not raced since his heavy crash on the Tour of the Basque Country. Distanced on the climb, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) managed to come back before the finish line, unlike the other favourites including Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgroe) and the Ineos Grenadiers riders.

Romain Bardet failed to hold on to his yellow jersey by six seconds, with the lead in the general classification now occupied by Tadej Pogacar. Along with the three riders he arrived with in Bologna, the Slovenian took advantage of his good placings in these first two stages, notably his fourth place the day before, to already take on the yellow jersey. The Giro winner should nevertheless have a lot to do to keep it, given the very good level displayed by Jonas Vingegaard in San Luca.