Three-time champion enjoys blockbuster sprint against Mathieu van der Poel, with Pogačar moving up to second overall and into the polka dot jersey

News | Team – 6th July 2025

Tadej Pogačar made the most of an entertaining day of racing on stage 2 at the Tour de France, with the three-time champion picking up second place behind the winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck). The pair enjoyed a thrilling two-up sprint to the line in Boulogne-sur-Mer, as the general classification contenders traded blows for the first time in the 112th edition of this grand race.

Picking up where the pair left off in the spring Classics, both Van der Poel and Pogačar came to the fore as the race became ever more selective on Sunday afternoon, with the latter well supported by his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates. With Pogačar in second, both João Almeida and Jhonatan Narváez remained with the world champion to the line, finishing inside a 26-man front group.

Speaking after the stage, Pogačar reflected on a strong opening weekend which saw him make the front group in Saturday's echelons, before riding into the King of the Mountains jersey on stage 2.

Pogačar: 'I won the polka dot jersey two times already in my career, but I have only worn it for one day so far across six Tours de France. So tomorrow is going to be my second day ever in polka, and I am looking forward to it, because people like the polka and it is a special feeling wearing this jersey.

'It was a really amazing stage. It was everything: rain, stress, hectic, danger, short climbs and just like a Classic stage. I was feeling good in the end, and as a team we rode really good. Mathieu was stronger in the finish line today, so chapeau to him, and I am super happy to take second.

'For me, this weekend has been very motivational. We see that the team is good, we worked well together, and we had a good time on the bike. We are strong and we can take this as confidence for the next stages.'

On what was set to be the longest stage of this year's Tour de France, a four-rider breakaway was allowed up the road as the peloton set out from Lauwin-Planque. But despite their strength, the break never looked likely to provide an upset, ensuring that all eyes were on the peloton as the race approached the final 50km of racing.

This was, after all, the same peloton that exploded in the crosswinds on stage 1 and looked more than up for the prospect of similar shenanigans. A series of three short but steep climbs in the last 30km also made the chance of chaos ever more likely on the road to Boulogne-sur-Mer.

As the race exploded into life on the first of these three challenging categorised climbs, it was Tim Wellens who marshalled Pogačar into position for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with the recently-crowned Belgian national champion demonstrating an impressive turn of pace to guide the peloton over the crest of the Côte du Haut Pichot. His efforts would ensure that the world champion was never far from the pointy end as attacks began to fly and the peloton began to splinter.

Inside the last 10km, accelerations were made by the likes of Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ),

Matteo Jorgenson and even his Visma-Lease a Bike teammate, Jonas Vingegaard. With each passing move, Pogačar was never out of position, but the front group was a fraction of the size it had been some 30km prior.

Indeed, there were moments when the front of the race was limited to only a handful of riders, including Vingegaard, Pogačar and their fellow podium finisher from the 2024 Tour de France, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step).

Sensing that the stage-winning move could go clear at any moment, Narváez made a big surge of acceleration to bridge across to Pogačar's group after the Côte de Saint-Étienne-au-Mont. His presence was pivotal on the final uphill kick to the line, with both the Ecuadorian national champion and his teammate Almeida delivering a fine lead-out for Pogačar.

In the end, only a tremendous display from Van der Poel could deny Pogačar an 18th stage victory at the Tour, but the Slovenian had the well-earned consolation of the polka-dot jersey on the day's podium. Pogačar will begin Monday's stage 3 as the leader of the King of the Mountains classification.

Tour de France 2025 stage 2 results:

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4:45:41

2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) s.t

3. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) s.t

Tour de France 2025 general classification after stage 2:

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 8:38:42

2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +4″

3. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) +6″