Mathieu Van der Poel Claims Stage 2 Victory and Yellow Jersey at Tour de France 2025
Mathieu Van der Poel wins Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2025, takes the yellow jersey.
Key Points
- • Mathieu Van der Poel wins the second stage and takes the yellow jersey.
- • Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard finish second and third, respectively.
- • Top French rider Kévin Vauquelin is currently in fourth place.
- • Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic are in 18th and 21st positions.
On July 6, 2025, Mathieu Van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck decisively won the second stage of the Tour de France, securing the coveted yellow jersey as the overall leader of the race. The stage spanned 209 kilometers from Laurin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, showcasing a challenging route that culminated in intense final climbs.
Van der Poel's victory not only marks his second stage win in the Tour de France—his first being in 2021—but it also establishes him as a formidable contender for this year’s title. He crossed the finish line ahead of renowned rivals Tadej Pogacar, who took second place, and Jonas Vingegaard, who finished third. The outcome positions Pogacar 4 seconds behind Van der Poel and Vingegaard 6 seconds back in the general classification, where the race favorites are beginning to take shape.
Kévin Vauquelin emerged as the top French rider, securing fourth place in the stage. Romain Grégoire also showed a strong performance, finishing just behind Vauquelin. Notably, this marks a setback for Jasper Philipsen, who dropped to seventh after a previous stage win. Other prominent contenders like Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic struggle, currently sitting in 18th and 21st positions, respectively, trailing the leader by a substantial 49 seconds.
Reflecting on his victory, Van der Poel expressed, "C'était super difficile dans le final, c'était beaucoup plus difficile que ce que je pensais. J'étais super motivé aujourd’hui … J’ai fait un sacré travail pour être là dans le final," highlighting the strenuous nature of the final climbs that solidified his triumph.
As the race progresses, fans and competitors alike are keenly watching how the standings will evolve, especially with such tight margins among the leading riders.