Report : Mohamed Khader Navas

After the kick-off that was characterised by Adam Yates’ victory, stage 2 (208,9 kilometres from Vitoria Gasteiz-San Sebastian) of Tour de France 2023 was a good one too for UAE Team Emirates: the British rider kept the yellow jersey, while Tadej Pogačar was 3rd and he has climbed to the 2nd place of the general classification.

The heat of the race was on the iconic climb of the Jaizkibel, which summits at 15,5 km to the arrival. Back in the peloton it reduced to no more than 30 riders by the pace of UAE Team Emirates, Jumbo - Visma and Jayco-Alula, after the last attacker of the day, Neilson Powless (EF-EasyPost), had been caught, there was a battle for the seconds of bonus at the top of the Kom won by Tadej Pogačar, followed by Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).

Adam Yates is still the leader of the race with 6” on Pogačar (2nd) and on Simon Yates (Jayco-Alula, 3rd).

“It was a good day. We controlled pretty much all day with no one to help us, which wasn’t a surprise,” Yates said.

Stage 3 will start from Amorebieta-Etxano and over 194 km it will bring the peloton to France, where the race will finish in Bayonne.