Stage 2: Saint-Lô › Cherbourg-en-Cotentin – 183km
The Tour’s second stage will be another day for the stagehunters, but it should be the punchy types contesting the win in the finale instead of the sprinters. The parcours is not particularly challenging, but the placement of two uphill stretches late in the stage will thin the pack and potentially spring attacks.
Just over a kilometer from the finish, the bunch will crest a 1.9km, 6.5% Cat. 3 climb. Then, after a short flat stretch, the riders will take on a 700m section of 5.7% running in to the line. Again, nothing all that challenging, but steep enough to bring the lighter speedsters to the fore ahead of the pure sprinters.
Peter Sagan should enjoy the profile. He looked very strong in a finish made more for the likes of Mark Cavendish Saturday, and he’ll be the rider to beat on these gradients.
Michael Matthews is probably his top challenger. We haven’t seen much from the Australian this season, but there’s not really any reason to believe he won’t be up for this stage, which should suit him well. Simon Gerrans and Michael Albasini are both fine alternatives for Orica-BikeExchange.
Greg Van Avermaet bested Sagan in an uphill Tour stage finish last year and I like his chances here. Edvald Boasson Hagen crashed in Stage 1 but if he’s feeling okay he’s another potential contender.
Dan Martin and Julian Alaphilippe could get involved as well—it’s hard to say whether the finish is steep enough, but the pairing of climbs could help whittle things down enough to bring either one of them into the equation.
Tony Gallopin, Alejandro Valverde, Alexis Vuillermoz, and Joaquím Rodríguez are other riders who could be in the mix.
VeloHuman Stage 2 Favorites
1. Peter Sagan | 2. Michael Matthews | 3. Greg Van Avermaet