Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian cycling champion, donned the yellow jersey after the second stage of the Tour de France 2024. This achievement, while not unexpected given his status as a favorite, was the result of a tightly contested race. Pogacar, who is aiming for a rare double victory following his triumph in the Giro, found the course of the first two days favorable.
Despite the celebration in France for Kévin Vauquelin's victory in the second stage, the yellow jersey was not a guaranteed outcome for Pogacar. In Bologna, four riders, including Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Richard Carapaz, were tied at the top of the general classification, all clocking in at 9 hours 53 minutes and 30 seconds.
Pogacar's lead was determined by the regulations that stipulate in the event of a tie, the addition of the places at the finish of each contested stage decides the leader. Pogacar, having finished 4th and 14th in the first two stages, accumulated 18 points, edging out Evenepoel with 20 points, Vingegaard with 29 points, and Carapaz with 32 points.
The competition remains fierce as the gap is minimal, and the standings could shift in the upcoming third stage between Piacenza and Turin, a terrain favorable to sprinters. Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, and Carapaz are expected to closely monitor each other until the finish.
- Kévin Vauquelin, a 23-year-old Frenchman representing Arkea-B&B Hotels, won the second stage of the Tour de France, covering a distance of 199 km from Cesenatico to Bologna. He finished ahead of Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen of Uno-X Mobility, who trailed by about thirty seconds.
- Pogacar's small group, including Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Richard Carapaz, arrived shortly after Vauquelin, securing Pogacar the yellow jersey. Despite having the same overall time as the other three, Pogacar's superior stage placements earned him the leader's position.
