Stage 2 TDF 2023 Blog: No More Cofidisappointing
With a late attack from the front group as it approached the finish line in San Sebastian, Victor Lafay (Cofidis) won Stage 2 of the 2023 Tour de France.
He was brilliant yesterday, climbing the Cote de Pike with Vingegaard and Pogacar. Again today he made it over the final climb near the front of the race, then took his chance.
As expected, it was the climb of the Jaizkibel that defined the race.
Rafal Majka set the pace and a lot of riders were dropped including Mathieu van der Poel.
Adam Yates took over near the top, and that opened the way for the cream to rise to the top. Pogacar was first over the climb, where bonus seconds were also available, followed by Vingegaard and Simon Yates.
Pogacar and Vingegaard got a gap, but Vingegaard had nothing to gain from working with the Slovene.
The group behind came back, and it included Wout van Aert who was favourite for the sprint. Everything was going to plan until Lafay sprung his surprise and registered the first Cofidis Tour de France win since Sylvain Chavanel in Montlucon 15 years ago.
The one-two-three was:
- Victor Lafay
- Wout van Aert
- Tadej Pogacar
The TV commentators said the Lafay won the mass participation Etape du Tour in 2018. Today was just a bit better still.
Adam Yates remains in yellow. Pogacar picked up time bonuses at the top of the Jaizkibel and on the finish line, and is now in second place overall, 6s behind his Lancashire teammate.
The Break
In the break today were Edvald Boasson Hagen (Total Energies), Neilson Powless (EF) and Rémi Cavagna (Soudal Quick-Step). As well as being able to ride bicycles fast they all come across as decent people.
This is the kind of breakaway I like. For one thing, three is a manageable number. When it’s a break of 27 riders, it’s just too many names to list.
If there’s a front group of more than seven, the Commissaires should intervene and send some of them back.
Cavagna was the first to go, and Edvald BH next, leaving Powless out front to try to defy the peloton.
With 2.7km left of the Jaizkibel, Powless was finally swallowed up by the bunch.
The Intermediate Sprint
The break took the first three intermediate sprint places, but the sprinters in the bunch still raced for fourth.
Sam Welsford (DSM) made a strong late bid, but Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Deceuninck) held him off.
Video Highlights
This is the last kilometre of Stage 2.
These are video highlights of the stage.
‘I’m Super Happy’
When interviewed after his win yesterday, Adam Yates was super happy.
It’s safe to say that watching Adam and Simon race bikes is more exciting than listening to them being interviewed afterwards.
Why is it that the Tour comes out in a rash of super-thisses and and super-thats?
I have two theories. It’s a French race, and perhaps it’s a translation from the French je suis super content. But then I wonder how much Adam Yates has been influenced by the language of Moliere, so I need a second theory.
Adam was on an Australian team for a long while. It’s more likely he picked it up there than growing up in Bury.
It still doesn’t explain why the linguistic tic is so super-widespread throughout the peloton.