Stage 2: Utrecht › Zélande – 166km
After Rohan Dennis took a somewhat surprising Stage 1 victory, the Tour de France will stay in the Netherlands for Stage 2. A glimpse of the profile might give one the impression that the day will be a cut and dry sprint-fest, but the weather forecast might have something else in mind.
166 kilometers of pancake flat, Stage 2 certainly has the parcours to favor the sprinters, but crosswinds of the coastal Netherlands and a potential for rain in the afternoon will likely make this interesting. We can probably expect the echelons and the constant battling for safer positions typical of bike racing in this part of the world, which will challenge anyone with stage aspirations long before a potential bunch gallop to the finish line.
The profile suits Mark Cavendish, who is the best pure sprinter in this race, and while the weather will make this stage harder to predict than it might otherwise be, he should still be the favorite. Not only is Cavendish an excellent sprinter; he also happens to ride for Classics super-team Etixx-Quick-Step. If there is any squad likely to benefit from the conditions, it’s Cav’s own team.
André Greipel’s also-Belgian Lotto-Soudal team will be comfortable in questionable conditions as well, and in-form Greipel might actually be able to challenge Cavendish even in a straight up sprint. He has a good chance here, especially if his teammates can help put the pressure on his rivals.
Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff is great in a pure sprint, but he really shines after a tough day in the saddle. The worse the weather is on Stage 2, the better his chances will become. He’s one of several riders in the Tour, in fact, who combine Classics grit with sprinting prowess. John Degenkolb, Peter Sagan, and Arnaud Demaré are others. Sagan, in particular, could try to get aggressive and maybe attempt to leave some of sprinting opponents behind on the road to Zélande to make for an easier finale. Sam Bennett, Nacer Bouhanni, Greg Van Avermaet, the MTN duo of Tyler Farrar and Edvald Boasson Hagen, Bryan Coquard and Michael Matthews are others with a chance on Stage 2.
VeloHuman Stage 2 Favorites
1. Mark Cavendish | 2. André Greipel | 3. Alexander Kristoff
Be sure to follow @VeloHuman on Twitter for more analysis and commentary during the race, and check back for the preview of the next stage after the conclusion of Stage 2. The VeloHuman overall Tour de France race preview is available here.
-Dane Cash