Tour de France 2024 stage two preview

June 29, 2024

Date: Sunday June 30, 2024
Distance: 199km
Begin location: Cesenatico
End location: Bologna
Begin time: 12:15 CET
End time (approx): 17:06 CET

Memorials to Marco Pantani stay a typical characteristic of the Giro d’Italia, the place nearly yearly there may be at the very least one stage that honours his reminiscence. Now, as stage two departs from his hometown of Cesenatico, it’s an opportunity for the Tour de France to replicate upon his complicated legacy.

Il Pirata is after all a beloved determine in his dwelling nation for his gorgeous exploits within the mountains, as mirrored within the hanging statue of him that proudly overlooks the Adriatic coast on the outskirts of Cesenatico, regardless of the doping scandal that overshadowed his profession. Previous to the optimistic check that pressured him to go away the 1999 Giro d’Italia and miss the next Tour de France, he’d already left his indelible mark on the Tour. He’s turn into synonymous with the race’s most well-known climb, Alpe d’Huez, which he gained two phases on, and to today, holds the document for the quickest ever ascent, but additionally launched well-known victorious assaults on two of the largest mountains on this 12 months’s route, Plateau de Beille and Col du Galibier, on his option to total victory in 1998. If that was the excessive of his Tour de France profession, his return in 2000 (simply 4 years earlier than his tragic loss of life) was a extra ambivalent affair, because the vulnerabilities and sensitivities of his persona performed out in a feud with Lance Armstrong, whom he angrily tried to punish with assaults for the perceived slight of gifting him a victory on Mont Ventoux. 

Like stage one, stage two’s route options loads of climbs, however solely brief, punchy hills, moderately than the kind that mountain goats like Pantani would savour. The important thing climb shall be San Luca, a brief (1.9km) however very steep (10.6%) effort that shall be tackled twice inside the ultimate 33km, and acquainted to many within the peloton because the climax of the autumnal Giro d’Emilia Traditional. Primož Roglič has particularly fond reminiscences of it, not solely profitable that Traditional on three separate events, but additionally triumphing in a time trial that includes a climb on the 2019 Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza. 

Not like the Giro d’Emilia, this stage gained’t end on the prime of San Luca, however 13km away from its second ascent, which can discourage the likes of Roglič and different GC contenders to strive an assault on. As a substitute, punchy stage hunters are certain to make strikes; the query is whether or not they can get a sufficiently big hole to make it to the end in Bologna, or if the whole lot will come again collectively for a dash? And within the case of the latter, what number of sprinters shall be left, and what number of may have been distanced on the climb? 

Route profile sourced through ASO

Contenders

Stage one ended up proving as unpredictable as first thought after DSM-Firmenich-PostNL teammates Frank van den Broek and Romain Bardet surged up the highway to take the stage win and the yellow jersey, and stage two seems to be like a equally powerful stage to name.

The San Luca climb is brutally powerful ascent and far nearer to the end than stage one’s last climb, which means there’s a half-chance of seeing some GC motion, significantly from Tadej Pogačar (UAE Staff Emirates) and Primož Roglič (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who thrive on steep inclines like this. However with so many powerful phases to return, together with the primary correct mountain stage on Tuesday, the general contenders might need to preserve their powder dry.

Subsequently it may very well be an opportunity for the punchy stage hunters. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) confirmed some spectacular type on stage one, however he might not be allowed the leeway to assault and as an alternative must hope it comes right down to a diminished bunch dash.

Alberto Bettiol (EF Schooling-EasyPost) shall be eager to try to take a victory within the Italian nationwide champion’s jersey on dwelling soil, and has confirmed wonderful type heading into the race. He definitely has the engine to carry off chasers, however might lack the firepower to lose the climbers within the first place over the climb. His teammate Ben Healy is another choice for the American group too.

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) definitely does have the firepower to drop nearly anyone when he desires to, however he might also need to maintain again for future phases and was good to his phrase when he stated stage one was too onerous for him (a lot to this predictor’s chagrin).

Those who go nicely within the Ardennes Classics might fancy their possibilities right here. Maxim van Gils (Lotto-Dstny), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), Paul Lapeira (Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), are all potential attackers on the ultimate climb.

Stage two winner prediction

We expect Maxim van Gils will take victory on stage two of the Tour de France.