Mathieu van der Poel Wins Tour de France Stage 2, Takes Yellow Jersey

Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel won the second stage of the 2025 Tour de France, a 209-kilometer race from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, claiming the yellow jersey from his teammate Jasper Philipsen. Van der Poel out-sprinted top competitors Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard in a challenging uphill finish marked by rainy conditions and several short, steep climbs. This victory marked Van der Poel's second Tour de France stage win and his return to the yellow jersey, which he previously held for six days in 2021. Pogacar, who narrowly missed his 100th career win, earned the king of the mountains jersey, while Vingegaard remains close in the overall standings. The stage was notable for the intense competition among favorites, adverse weather conditions, and Van der Poel's strong performance that solidified his status as a leading contender early in the race. Alpecin-Deceuninck secured back-to-back stage wins with Philipsen's earlier victory and Van der Poel's triumph.