Mathieu Van der Poel of Alpecin-Fenix won the second stage of the 2021 Tour de France on Sunday to claim the famed yellow jersey in Perros-Guirec.
Van der Poel unseated Julian Alaphilippe of the Deceuninck-Quick-Step team as the race leader after an aggressive surge in the climb leading to the finish line at Mur-de-Bretagne.
Van der Poel finished just ahead of last year’s champion Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates on Sunday, with Primoz Roglic of Team Jumbo-Visma ending up third. Van der Poel holds an eight-second lead over Alaphilippe and 13-second advantage on Pogacar.
Van der Poel was quick to credit his grandfather, former Tour great Raymond Poulidor.
“It means the world to have this jersey on my shoulders,” Van der Poel said. “Unfortunately he is not here anymore but I imagine how proud my grandad would be.”
Monday’s Stage 3 will be contested between Lorient and Pontivy. The 21-stage course is scheduled to conclude on July 18.
–Field Level Media