Mathieu van der Poel wins stage two of Tour de France to take yellow
Dutchman soloed to victory after attacking in the final kilometre
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Mathieu van der Poel spectacularly moved into the yellow jersey at the Tour de France after winning stage two atop the Mûr-de-Bretagne.
The Alpecin-Fenix rider was determined to win the stage and move to the summit of the race’s general classification, making two serious attacks in the final 20km, the final sticking to inherit the lead from Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck – Quick-Step).
Van der Poel attacked in the final kilometre of the race and crossed the finishing line eight seconds ahead of Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Primoż Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)
Due to taking the 10 bonus seconds on the line, and the eight he claimed on the first ascent of the climb, the Dutchman moves into yellow with an advantage of eight seconds to Alaphilippe.
An emotional Van der Poel was in tears after the race, honouring the victory to his late grandfather Raymond Poulidor who finished on the Tour’s podium eight times but never wore yellow. “I have no words, really,” he sobbed. “It’s incredible.”
How it happened
Riders face another day on the gruelling ups and downs of the Brittany region on stage two of the 2021 Tour de France, with a 183.5km route from Perros-Guirec to Mûr-de-Bretagne, where the riders faced a tough uphill finish.
The day’s breakaway took a while to form but within 30km it was set. Six riders made up the group, led by King of the Mountains leader Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe).
He was joined by Edward Theuns of Trek-Segafredo, Simon Clarke of Qhubeka-NextHash, Intermaché’s Jonas Koch, Cofidis rider Anthony Perez, and TotalEnergies’ Jeremey Cabot. They were permitted an advantage of around four minutes.
At the day’s only intermediate sprint, Theuns took the maximum 20 points with Koch taking the second most of 17. It left the peloton sprinting for remaining points on offer, and Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) beat Mark Cavendish of Deceuninck – Quick-Step to nine points.
Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) only claimed three, with Arnaud Démare, the winner of the 2020 Giro d’Italia points jersey, taking six.
The break’s gap rapidly came down with around 90km to go, dropping to an advantage of 1-20. Half an hour later, and their cohesion was torn apart when Theuns attacked and was only joined by Cabot, Perez and Schelling.
Holding a lead of 1-40, Cabot and Theuns were then the only two riders who opted to stay out front with 60km left to race, the pair maintaining their advantage until 20km from the finish line.
In that period the peloton were content to keep them within two minutes, but clearly wanted no escapes out front on the finish circuit that included two ascents of Mûr-de-Bretagne.
As the peloton climbed up the Mûr for the first time, TV cameras picked out Chris Froome being dropped, the Israel Start-Up Nation hoping to simply survive the stage after being caught up in stage one’s second big crash.
At 16.8km, and with Theuns caught, Van der Poel caught everyone by surprise with an early attack.
The Dutchman, however, was unable to build a significant advantage and he was within sights just as the riders approached the summit of the Mûr-de-Bretagne.
Van der Poel did take the eight bonus seconds on offer for the first rider across the summit, though, with Tadej Pogačar taking a crucial five bonus seconds, and Primoż Roglič two. Richard Carapaz had attempted to take back some of the eight seconds he ceded on stage one.
The race then entered a moment of calm, headed by Ineos Grenadiers, before the final ascent began with two kilometres to go.
Iconic and frequently used in the Tour, the Mûr-de-Bretagne has an average gradient of just under seven per cent, enough to tempt most riders.
Richie Porte of Ineos Grenadiers set a searing pace on the front in the first or the two kilometres, and with 1.3km to go Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) attacked from deep.
That move ignited a response from Van der Poel. Pogačar and Roglič were also attentive, as was Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious), who made his move with 900m between him and the line.
The sight of Colbrelli forced a second reaction from Van der Poel, Pogačar and Roglič, and within 150m the cyclocross world champion had jumped clear and this time his attack was to stay.
It was surprising how Alaphilippe especially didn’t respond to the Dutch superstar, with the Frenchman seemingly content to gift the yellow jersey to his biggest rival.
Van der Poel rode to an emotional victory eight seconds ahead of Pogačar and Roglič, the Slovenians taking second and third and the bonus seconds on offer, an early reminder that they are the race’s two favourites for yellow come Paris.
The Tour continues with stage three tomorrow, a 182.9km from Lorient to Pontivy which should see the race's first sprint finish.
Results
Tour de France 2021, stage two: Perros-Guirec to Mûr-de-Bretagne (183.5km)
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix, in 4-18-30
2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 6 seconds
3. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at same time
4. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 8s
5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-Quick-Step
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
7. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma
8. Sergio Higuita (Col) EF Education First-Nippo
9. Pierre Latour (Fra) TotalEnergies
10. Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious, all at same time
General classification after stage two
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix, in 8-57-25
2. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-Quick-Step, at 8 seconds
3. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 13s
4. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
5. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 24s
6. Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious, at 26s
7. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
8. Sergio Higuita (Col) EF Education First-Nippo
9. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma
10. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, all at same time
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.
Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
-
-
Power vs aerodynamics: what is the best balance and how can I achieve it?
Watts and aerodynamics are two cornerstones of our cycling performance - but favoring only one will see you going slower than a more balanced approach. Here’s our guide to better optimising your speed
By Andy Turner • Published
-
Even Wout van Aert can lose his nerve: Five things we learned from the CX World Championships
Even with the absence of Tom Pidcock on the world stage, British cyclo-cross is in a good place
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Even Wout van Aert can lose his nerve: Five things we learned from the CX World Championships
Even with the absence of Tom Pidcock on the world stage, British cyclo-cross is in a good place
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Adrie van der Poel reveals banter exchanged with Mathieu before CX World Championships
Van der Poel senior says that his sons cyclo-cross season has been ‘perfect’ preparation for a strong start to the cobbled classics
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
British champion Cameron Mason hoping for rain at Cyclo-cross World Championships
British national champion says patience will be the key in what’s expected to be a fast race in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘Cyclo-cross can’t exist with just three riders’ - Sven Nys on CX appearance fee disparity
Some CX riders reportedly forced to race for free due to large appearance fees handed to Tom Pidcock, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Sven Nys says Tom Pidcock skipping cyclo-cross World title defence ‘makes sense’
‘An effort to win in Hoogerheide will cost so much’ says Belgian cyclocross legend on a course that favours Pidcock's rivals
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
In celebration of Peter Sagan, cycling's rock and roll frontman
As the three-time world champion is set to call time on his career in the WorldTour at the end of 2023, we thought we would take a look back at the glory days
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel deserve big CX appearance fees, says British champ
British national champion says Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel receive high appearance fees for a reason
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
CW Live: Romain Bardet to lead Team DSM at Tour de France; Mark Cavendish robbery accused 'learning to walk again'; Van der Poel reveals his road racing schedule & Extinction Rebellion plan to target Tour Down Under
All the need to know news in cycling today
By Tom Thewlis • Published