Live coverage

Tour de France 2019: Stage 2

By danielostanek
published

January 1 - July 28, Brussels (TTT), France, Road - WorldTour

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Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 2 of the Tour de France. Today sees the riders take on a 27.6-kilometre team time trial, starting and finishing in Brussels, running from the Royal Palace in Brussels to the modernist landmark in the north, the Atomium.

 

We're under an hour from the start of stage 2, the first chance for a GC shakeup. It's the team time trial in Brussels.

Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma) was a somewhat surprising winner of yesterday's opening stage, also in Brussels. His team will be one of the strongest today, but with a slender ten-second lead over the majority of the field, it might be a tough task to hang on for another day.

Jumbo-Visma will be up there though. Otherwise, Team Ineos, Mitchelton-Scott, EF Education First, Deceuninck-QuickStep and CCC Team are all expected to finish the day towards the top of the standings.

You can peruse our full preview of today's stage here.

 

Last year's TTT in Cholet was a little longer than today at 35.5km, and a little lumpier too. Over three minutes separated stage winners BMC and last place Cofidis, while the top five were spread over just 11 seconds.

EF Education First might not quite be the TTT powerhouse they were in years past, but they should be one of the top teams on the road today nonetheless.

We're just over 15 minutes away from Ineos setting off on their effort now.

If you're searching for viewing options today then check out our guide on how to watch the Tour de France live and free from anywhere.

Report from Eurosport suggest that Astana's Jakob Fuglsang is suffering with his knee injury after yesterday's crash. He said that he isn't feeling much power from it.

Ineos are ready to set off. Five minutes to the start, they're gathered together, preparing to go to the start ramp.

And they're off. Ineos kick off stage 2.

Here's their team, the strongest-looking TTT squad on paper, with numerous former national TT champions.

It looks like they're starting off well. Of course, beyond the eye test we don't have a clear idea of how fast they're going yet.

The checkpoints come at 13.2km and 20.1km today, so a while yet.

Arkéa-Samsic set off in their eyecatching all-white skinsuits. This is their team. It's safe to say not to expect too much from the French squad.

Now it's Astana's turn to set off. It'll be interesting to see how Fuglsang is going after his crash.

Brad Wiggins is back out on the moto for Eurosport. He says that Thomas is looking strong, and that Ineos are protecting Bernal – letting him take shorter turns. He's a strong time trialist but the likes of Thomas and Castroviejo have more experience in organising and racing a team in a TTT situation.

Groupama-FDJ are off now. They'll be looking to limit their losses for leader Thibaut Pinot today.

Ineos pass through the first checkpoint at 13:58 and an average speed of 56.6kph.

Now AG2R La Mondiale are off. They'll be looking to do the same for Romain Bardet as FDJ are for Pinot.

21:11:08 through the second checkpoint for Ineos.

Here's Team Ineos flying along out on course.

Astana pass through the first check. They're 14 seconds down on Ineos.

Movistar are the next team off. They're back with their three-pronged approach to GC. They don't have a wealth of great individual time trialists, but they're usually quite strong in this discipline.

Wout Poels drops off the Ineos train in the final five kilometres.

29:18.00 for Ineos at the finish. 56.5kph average. That might be the winning time today.

Total Direct Energie start their effort. Estonian national TT champion Rein Taaramäe ranks among their number.

There are a number of national TT champions at the race this year. None of them are wearing their champion's skinsuits today though, as the TTT is a different discipline, raced by national teams this year onwards.

AG2R La Mondiale pass the first check with a time of 14:26. Not great for Bardet.

Mountain classification leader Greg Van Avermaet leads CCC Team down the start ramp. Though not as strong as they were in their previous guise of BMC, they'll still put in a good ride today.

Brad Wiggins watches AG2R's effort. He says that the team is fanning across the road, which can happen when a rider stays on the front for too long. "They're not as slick as Ineos."

Astana come to the finish.

Astana finish with a time of 29:38, 19 seconds down on Ineos.

UAE Team Emirates are off now. Dan Martin and Fabio Aru are their main hopes for the Tour, while Alexander Kristoff would hopefully snag a stage win.

Movistar lost 26 seconds to Ineos at the first check. not ideal.

Meanwhile, Groupama-FDJ are going well. At the second check, they're just 7 seconds down on Ineos.

Trek-Segafredo are fully behind Richie Porte this year. They're up and running now.

Groupama-FDJ lose a rider to a crash in the final corners. He was at the back of the paceline though, and Pinot is fine.

14:36 at the first check for Total Direct Energie.

Here's a shot of Arkéa-Samsic, the slowest team so far. It's an interesting look, that's for sure.

14:03 through the first check for CCC Team. That's the second-fastest time there so far.

AG2R La Mondiale finish with a time of 30:16, almost a minute down on Ineos.

Katusha-Alpecin are off, featuring two national TT champions in Dowsett and Gonçalves.

Movistar go through the second check at 21:50, 39 seconds down on Ineos.

Here's FDJ at the finish after their impressive ride.

30:02 for Movistar at the finish. That's 44 seconds down on Ineos.

Cofidis set off. No high expectations here. Laporte and Herrada are their men for the sprints and mountains. Rossetto and Berhane were in the break yesterday.

14:24 for Trek at the first check, three seconds behind UAE Team Emirates, who passed through . a few minutes ago.

Dimension Data are off.

30:39 for Total at the finish.

21:24 for CCC through the second chack. They're holding their speed.

CCC are aiming for yellow this week, with tomorrow's stage high in their mind to launch Greg Van Avermaet.

And they cross the line with a time of 29:28, good for second fastest.

Team Sunweb start their run. Michael Matthews is their man for stage wins and the green jersey challenge.

Katusha-Alpecin are fastest at the first check! Their time of 13:55.19 beats Ineos by four seconds.

UAE Team Emirates post a time of 21:45 at the second check.

Peter Sagan's Bora-Hansgrohe squad are off next. They have GC ambitions with Buchmann and Konrad, while Schachmann is a potential stage hunter. Sagan, of course, is here for stage wins and a record-breaking seventh green jersey. Seven teams left to start.

UAE Team Emirates finish with a time of 30:01.

Astana warm down after their effort. Pello Bilbao said that Fuglsang "did his work like everybody else." Seemingly no major ill effects from his crash yesterday, then.

Cofidis just edge Astana's time at the first check. They're 18 seconds down on Katusha.

A disappointing time for Trek. They finish with a time of 30:15, 57 seconds down on Ineos.

Katusha are fastest at the second checkpoint too, a second up on Ineos.

Katusha-Alpecin just miss out on the fastest time! They're 5.67 seconds down on Ineos.

Mitchelton-Scott roll down the ramp. They'll be right up there today, supporting Adam Yates' GC bid. Their men Luke Durbridge and Daryl Impey are national TT champions.

Team Sunweb have gone third-fastest at the first check with a time of 14:02.

Vincenzo Nibali's Bahrain-Merida set off. Rohan Dennis is their TT powerhouse, and they should put in a good time here.

Bora-Hansgrohe set a time of 14:15 at the first check. A decent time.

Team Sunweb shed 10 seconds to Katusha at the second check – their time was 21:20.

EF Education First are off. They have a strong history in this discipline and have a good team here.

Here's our podcast from the Tour countdown on how EF built their Tour de France team. 

14:08 for Lotto Soudal at the first checkpoint.

Team Sunweb have had a great finish. They just miss out on Ineos though. Their time is 29:23.

Mitchelton-Scott are seven seconds down at the first check.

Deceuninck-QuickStep are off. They have a very strong team and could be the team to overhaul Ineos here.

Simon Yates has trouble and is dropped 11km from the line.

Bora-Hansgrohe cross the line. Their time is 29:44.

Wanty-Groupe Gobert are the penultimate team off. One of their men is on a road bike, weirdly. Safe to say that they won't be finishing high up the standings here.

Bahrain are going fast. 14 minutes through the first checkpoint for them.

13:59 for EF after 13.2km, just edging out Ineos.

Jumbo-Visma set off, the last team to do so. They're supporting Steven Kruijswijk here, and riding to keep stage 1 winner Mike Teunissen in his bid to keep yellow.

Bahrain-Merida are 11 seconds down at the second checkpoint. Their time was 21:21.

QuickStep are flying. They're second fastest at the first check with a time of 13:56.

Mitchelton-Scott finished with a time of 29:39, 21 seconds down on Ineos. A good time, but not great by their high standards.

21:19 at the second check for EF. It looks like teams are fading as they progress through the course. They're nine seconds off Katusha right now.

Bahrain-Merida finish their ride. Another good one, and it's 29:33 for them. They're sixth at the moment.

Groenewegen is dropped 17km from the finish. He's clearly feeling the after-effects of his crash yesterday.

EF are 2km from the finish now.

Jumbo-Visma are already down to seven men, but they're flying. They smash Katusha's time, crossing the first checkpoint ten seconds faster at 13:45!

Team Ineos have been in the hot seat(s) all afternoon. It will be a brutal for them to lose this stage to the last team on the road.

QuickStep are going super fast too. They're in second at the second checkpoint, one second down on Katusha.

Deceuninck-QuickStep cross the line and they just miss out! 0.8 of a second down on Ineos. That is brutal.

Jumbo-Visma are kiling it out there! 20:55 at the second checkpoint. That's a full 15 seconds up on Katusha. Wow.

Wanty-Groupe Gobert finishw thia time of 30:55, the slowest so far.

Kruijswijk, Bennett, Van Aert, Martin, Teunissen left for Jumbo. Inside the final 2km.

Jumbo-Visma do it! A dominant performance. They finish with a time of 28:57.

20 seconds separates Jumbo and Ineos in first and second. Astana in tenth are 21 seconds down on Ineos, to give that performance some perspective.

Here's George Bennett's take on his Jumbo-Visma team, which has won two out of two stages so far during this Tour de France.

Stage result

Mike Teunissen retains the yellow jersey, of course.

Yellow jersey Mike Teunissen after the finish.

General classification after stage 2

Here are some shots of Jumbo-Visma celebrating after the finish and taking to the podium.

Here's a look at the big GC names and their relative rankings after stage 2.

Belgian legenad Tom Boonen and stage winner Tony Martin (Jumbo-Visma) chat after the finish.

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