Early Start Makes for a Demanding Day After Late Finish
The riders faced a quick turnaround today, starting early after yesterday's late finish (6:38 PM BST). With little time to recover and prepare for the next race, the short break was especially challenging since the finish in Plumelec was more than 200km from today’s starting point in Brest.
Stage two, however, is the second shortest of this year's event, covering only 110km.
Looking Back at Stage One
Marianne Vos acknowledged the efforts of her teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who had attempted a late break before being caught near the finish.
"I wasn’t sure if Pauline was still in contention, but in the end, I pushed ahead with Kim," Vos said after the hilly 78.8km route from Vannes. "I owe a lot to the team and to Pauline."
Stage Two Preview
Today's stage begins in Brest, the westernmost point of the race, and is officially categorized as flat—though with three Category 4 climbs and one Category 3 climb, a sprint finish is unlikely. Instead, strong all-rounders could thrive here, with Marianne Vos among the favorites after her impressive Stage One victory at age 38.
General Classification After Stage One:
1. Vos
2. Le Court +4"
3. Ferrand-Prévot +6"
4. Niewiadoma +10"
5. Vollering +13"
6. Pieterse +15"
7. Van der Breggen +15"
8. Jansen +19"
9. Rooijakkers +19"
10. Georgi +19"
The stage concludes with a loop around Quimper, featuring a slightly uphill finish. Whether a late attack will decide the day or if riders push earlier on the climbs remains to be seen. It promises to be an engaging day of racing.
Start Time: 12:10 PM BST
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