
Tour de France 2025 live: Stage 2 start time and route as classics specialists eye Jasper Philipsen's yellow jersey
As many foresaw, Jasper Philipsen sprinted to victory to take the yellow jersey in Lille - but there was little straightforward about the journey back to the city as the crashes came, the crosswinds blew and significant time was lost by a couple of general classification contenders before their race had even really begun. For Remco Evenepoel, Primoz Roglic and others, the deficit to Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard is already nearly 40 seconds – and the uber-attacking defending champion may like the look of this parcours, too.
Stage 2 is a 209.1km run through France's extreme north from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, a town familiar to plenty of Channel hoppers. There should be just enough lumps and bumps in the final few kilometres to dislodge the peloton's pure fast-men, making this the sort of day that Mathieu van der Poel might be targeting.
Stage 2 preview
If riders were hoping for a relaxing stage 2 to recuperate then they may be disappointed: today's stage is the longest of the entire Tour, 209km from the small village of Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer on the northern coast of France.
There are four categorised climbs, the latter three condensed into the final 30km, as well as plenty more uncategorised bumps and rises in a leg-sapping finish.
The climbs are short - none over 1.1km - but the cat-three Cote du Haut Pichot averages 10.6%, and takes place inside the final 10km, which could be enough to distance the fast men and narrow the field down to a reduced sprint. An enterprising late breakaway could be in with a chance at glory too, with the finish line itself is at the top of an uphill drag.
Callum Rice-Coates6 July 2025 11:12
Philipsen emerges from the chaos to win stage 1
In case you missed yesterday's stage 1 action, here's our report as Jasper Philipsen sprinted home to take the yellow jersey:
Jasper Philipsen emerges from the choas to win stage 1 of Tour de France in Lille
The Belgian collected the 10th Tour de France stage of his career as Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic lost valuable time after splits in the crosswinds
Callum Rice-Coates6 July 2025 11:03
Tour de France 2025 – stage 2 live
Hello and welcome along to live coverge of the 2025 Tour de France. After a wild stage 1 comes a long and unpredictable stage 2 in north-west France, finishing in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Lawrence Ostlere5 July 2025 21:13
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Reuters
18 minutes ago
- Reuters
Sprinter Philipsen crashes out of Tour two days after winning first stage
FRANCE, July 7 (Reuters) - Belgian rider Jasper Philipsen withdrew from the Tour de France on Monday, two days after winning the opening stage, following a brutal crash that made it impossible for him to continue the third stage. With around 60 km to go to the finish line, Philipsen hit the road hard following contact with Bryan Coquard during an intermediate sprint. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider had his jersey ripped in several places and suffered bloody scrapes. He was attended to by the race doctor shortly afterwards. Philipsen, who was also wearing the green jersey, ends his Tour on a sour note despite having won the opening stage on Saturday. The race continues around France and finishes on July 27.


South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
England must ‘ride the wave' after early Euros setback, says Lotte Wubben-Moy
The Lionesses face the Netherlands on Wednesday in what is being billed as a must-win Group D encounter after the 2-1 defeat in Zurich on Saturday, when the Dutch secured an opening victory over Wales. England also lost their opener to France at the 2015 World Cup in Canada but went on to achieve what was then their best ever finish of third, a journey seven-time major tournament veteran Lucy Bronze has encouraged her team-mates to keep fresh in their minds. England defender Wubben-Moy said: 'I think the mood so far has been, 'OK, what next?' We know that the tournament isn't won or lost on day one and I think we're all mature enough, we've all got experience in different ways, shapes or forms. Heading into new a week! 🏴🇳🇱#Lionesses | @NuffieldHealth — Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 7, 2025 'I think Lucy said in 2015 they lost their first game to France and I think it's easy to forget that there have to be ups and there have to be downs in tournament football. I think it's how you ride that wave that really is indicative of the mood that will be the lasting one across the tournament.' Wednesday's critical clash is a meeting between the two most recent European champions, both coached to glory at their respective home tournaments by England's Dutch boss Sarina Wiegman. Wiegman's long-time right-hand man, Arjan Veurink, is set to leave her side after this competition to take charge of the Netherlands, succeeding Andries Jonker. But this particular opponent is special to more than just England's coaching staff. Wubben-Moy is also half-Dutch. She explained: 'My dad comes from the Netherlands, my whole half of my family, so it's a pretty special fixture. 'I made my debut for England at youth level against the Netherlands and we won that game. I think all through my career, that game against the Netherlands has always been a tough one. 'It's physical, it's tactically varied and it's a game that epitomises, for me, my heritage.' She added: 'We're quick to forget when you put an England badge on that actually all of us have mixed heritage and I think that needs to be celebrated. 'I definitely feel celebrated here with a Dutch coach, but I think also by my team-mates, all of us accepting our cultures and different varieties of life that come together and make up that England badge.' But make no mistake, Wubben-Moy has made one thing very clear to her travelling Dutch family. She added: 'I was just asked by the Dutch media who they'll be supporting and they'll definitely be supporting me. 'And what that means is the England team.'


Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
England must ‘ride the wave' after early Euros setback, says Lotte Wubben-Moy
The Lionesses face the Netherlands on Wednesday in what is being billed as a must-win Group D encounter after the 2-1 defeat in Zurich on Saturday, when the Dutch secured an opening victory over Wales. England also lost their opener to France at the 2015 World Cup in Canada but went on to achieve what was then their best ever finish of third, a journey seven-time major tournament veteran Lucy Bronze has encouraged her team-mates to keep fresh in their minds. England defender Wubben-Moy said: 'I think the mood so far has been, 'OK, what next?' We know that the tournament isn't won or lost on day one and I think we're all mature enough, we've all got experience in different ways, shapes or forms. 'I think Lucy said in 2015 they lost their first game to France and I think it's easy to forget that there have to be ups and there have to be downs in tournament football. I think it's how you ride that wave that really is indicative of the mood that will be the lasting one across the tournament.' Wednesday's critical clash is a meeting between the two most recent European champions, both coached to glory at their respective home tournaments by England's Dutch boss Sarina Wiegman. Wiegman's long-time right-hand man, Arjan Veurink, is set to leave her side after this competition to take charge of the Netherlands, succeeding Andries Jonker. But this particular opponent is special to more than just England's coaching staff. Wubben-Moy is also half-Dutch. She explained: 'My dad comes from the Netherlands, my whole half of my family, so it's a pretty special fixture. 'I made my debut for England at youth level against the Netherlands and we won that game. I think all through my career, that game against the Netherlands has always been a tough one. 'It's physical, it's tactically varied and it's a game that epitomises, for me, my heritage.' She added: 'We're quick to forget when you put an England badge on that actually all of us have mixed heritage and I think that needs to be celebrated. Wubben-Moy (left) feels encouraged to be proud of her heritage (Nick Potts/PA) 'I definitely feel celebrated here with a Dutch coach, but I think also by my team-mates, all of us accepting our cultures and different varieties of life that come together and make up that England badge.' But make no mistake, Wubben-Moy has made one thing very clear to her travelling Dutch family. She added: 'I was just asked by the Dutch media who they'll be supporting and they'll definitely be supporting me. 'And what that means is the England team.'