Tour de France 2018 Favourites stage 2: Fast men again

The opening section of stage 2 on the Tour de France is not as flat as the 1st stage, but odds are it will be for the fast men in arrival place La Roche-sur-Yon. Who are most likely to turn out on top? (Slideshow route/profile)

The route of the 2nd stage is gently undulating from start to finish. But the course should not worry fast men. The elevation gain is marginal, while the route is approximately 20 kilometres shorter.

Pocketing five victories, Marcel Kittel was in a class of his own in last year’s Tour de France. Dylan Groenewegen (on Champs-Élysées, when Kittel already pulled out) and Arnaud Démare (after a chaotic and crash marked finale) took the other two sprints.

Kittel’s move to Katusha started to pay off quite late this season. But the German landed his first two victories in the Tirreno-Adriatico. Young Groenewegen seems to be a new big name though, the Dutchman won nine times this season, although he ended in sixth on the 1st stage of this year’s Tour de France. Fernando Gaviria powered to victory ahead of Peter Sagan and Marcel Kittel. If one thing, the Colombian is backed-up by the best lead-out team.

Favourites 2nd stage 2018 Tour de France

*** Dylan Groenewegen, Fernando Gaviria, Peter Sagan, Arnaud Démare
** Michael Matthews, André Greipel, Marcel Kittel, Alexander Kristoff
* Sonny Colbrelli, Mark Cavendish, Magnus Cort, Christopher Laporte