Tour de France: Stage 2 preview
Stage 2 map, profile and Chris Boardman video preview
Visé – Tournai
Distance: 207.5km
Highest point: 190m
Category: Flat
Gloves off for the sprinters
Already more than halfway towards Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 Tour stage victories, Mark Cavendish will have this stage very much in his sights. However, the list of challengers to the Briton’s sprint crown continues to grow. Also likely to feature are Tyler Farrar, André Greipel, Peter Sagan and new German star Marcel Kittel. The presence of Cavendish’s erstwhile lead-out men, Matt Goss and Mark Renshaw, also adds another intriguing edge. Cavendish has been a slow starter at recent Tours but should get plenty of motivation from his desire to keep his rivals in check.
André Greipel: "This is the first real opportunity for the sprinters. The finishing straight (on Boulevard Bara) is straight and wide which should make it easier to organise the lead-out trains and it will be interesting to see which teams have clicked."
Maps and profiles courtesy of ASO
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Best cycling shorts 2025: Our favorite shorts in every category, for every budget
The best cycling shorts for summer, winter and adventure riding, tested and reviewed -
Juan Ayuso, Julian Alaphilippe and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot lead Spain and France teams for Rwanda World Championships
Monument and Grand Tour stage winners added to start lists for elite races -
'The UCI sets the rules' - Vuelta a España organiser describe protests as 'unacceptable' but insists they could not expel the Israel-Premier Tech team
UCI condemns Spanish government for "exploitation of sport for political purposes" -
Waterproof fabrics jargon buster - Everything you need to know about staying dry
What's a PFAS? Why do brands keep talking about hydrostatic head? Do I need a DRW?