The Frenchman Victor Lafay has once again dressed as an unexpected hero at the start of the Tour de France. In the first stage he was the only one capable of withstanding the pull of Pogacar and Vingegaard on the toughest ramps of Pike Bidea, before heading to Bilbao. In the second stage, together with the two kingpins of the gala round, he was unable to crown the port of Jaizkibel, the last one before heading to San Sebastián, but he was able to keep an eye on the race and, already in the capital of San Sebastian, has staged a vibrant final rush, leaving behind classicists like Wout van Aert or Pogacar himself.
Adam Yates, who has endured among the strongest, has once again dressed in yellow, with a distance of 6 seconds over Pogacar and over his twin, Simon.
Jaizkibibel, an 8.1-kilometer port that caresses the Bidasoa, has chosen a race with traces of a luxury classic. There the general’s men have hunted Neilson Powless, the last Mohican of the breakaway of the day. The American started to climb the last climb of the stage with a minute and a half advantage over the pack, but was caught 3 kilometers from the top. He has starred in the feat of the day, although he has not been able to keep up with the pace set by the men from UAE and Jumbo.
The hardest part of Jaizkibel, past the hermitage of Guadalupe, has finished breaking the race. Pinot, Alaphilippe or Daniel Felipe Martínez have dropped off the hook. The leading group has stretched, and Pogacar and Vingegaard have exhibited themselves. They have once again shown that they are the strongest men when the race turns vertical.
They have crowned together, although the Slovenian has taken the bonus and has offered sensations of reaching a point above. At the top of Jaizkibel, with the rest of the runners still struggling to reach the crown, the UAE runner made a gesture to the Dane to take the relay towards San Sebastián. The defending champion has declined the option, perhaps because van Aert was coming a few meters away.
The two roosters of the Tour have not taken long to be reached by a group of chosen ones who have been able to crown Jaizkibel without giving up the race in the attempt. Pello Bilbao, the best Spaniard in this second stage of the Grand Depart Pays Basque, has been the fastest downhill and has even opened a stretch that has invited the Basque fans, immense for another day, to dream of stage victory. It has not been enough. Jumbo’s men have hunted him down and he has had to settle for reaching San Sebastián together with about twenty chosen ones.
After the Miracruz pass, heading towards Zurriola beach, all eyes have been on Van Aert, the strongest in an eventual sprint finish. It was then that the unexpected hero burst in.
Victor Lafay has attacked from the tail of that group of chosen when the race headed for Paseo de la Zurriola. The Frenchman’s arreón has been so brilliant that the reply has been a long time coming. Wout van Aert, and Pogacar himself have tried to catch him in the final sprint, but they have not been able to with the French. Exultant, Lafay has taken the first stage in the Tour de France, his second victory in a big one after his victory in the eighth stage of the 2021 Giro. Behind him, Van Aert, Pogacar, Pidcock and Pello Bilbao.
