Stage 2 of Tour de France 2021 was thankfully less chaotic, albeit no less emotional, than the opening stage. After two enormous pile-ups on Stage 1, which regrettably finished four riders’ Tour before it started, there were sore bodies and perhaps nerves aplenty. Julian Alaphilippe started the day in the first maillot jaune of 2021, however the second and final ascent up the Mur-de0Bretagne saw him and other favourites out-Alaphilippe’d by maverick Mathieu van der Poel. A poignant point to the sky on the finish line and a moving post-race interview saw MvdP dedicating his first Tour stage win and his first ever yellow jersey to his late grandfather and Tour legend, Raymond Poulidor.
