Mathieu van der Poel Secures Stage Two Victory at 2025 Tour de France
Mathieu van der Poel won stage two of the 2025 Tour de France into Boulogne-sur-Mer for his team, taking the race lead after a series of short climbs in the final kilometres shattered the main group as they approached the coastal town.
The Dutch rider outpaced Tadej Pogacar in a sprint on the steady ascent of the Boulevard Auguste Mariette, denying the defending champion his 100th career victory.
Van der Poel’s teammate Jasper Philipsen, who had worn the yellow jersey after winning the first stage to Lille, fell behind in the closing stages, allowing Van der Poel to take over as race leader.
Pogacar’s closest rival, Jonas Vingegaard, followed him across the line, while Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, who had struggled the previous day, showed improved form to finish among the leading riders.
Meanwhile, French cyclist Benjamin Thomas faced further misfortune after crashing during Saturday’s stage while competing for a single point in the mountains classification. On Sunday morning, it was confirmed that his bike, along with 10 others from his team—valued at around €140,000—had been stolen overnight.
The next stage is expected to favor sprinters, featuring another challenging route through the Nord region toward the coast, this time ending in Dunkirk. The uneven pavements of Mont Cassel and coastal winds are likely to influence the race.
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