BORA-hansgrohe takes its first ever Maillot Jaune after Peter Sagan’s stunning sprint win to win the second stage of the 2018 Tour de France.
After being so narrowly beaten to the top spot on yesterday’s opening stage of the Tour de France, Sagan wasn’t going to be denied today. In a final 2km that saw a crash split the peloton, taking out some of the Tour’s big name sprinters, Peter was ably supported by his BORA-hansgrohe teammates to take the victory in a reduced bunch sprint. Taking his first stage win of the 2018 edition of the race, the Slovak rider was propelled not only into the lead in the points race, but he became the first BORA-hansgrohe rider to wear the prestigious Maillot Jaune of race leader.
“I’m really happy for today and I have to say a really big thank you to my BORA-hansgrohe teammates because they rode on the front for the last 30km and kept me safe in the finale,” said Sagan after the stage. “I expected the last few kilometres to be a bit easier, but it was really tough – up and down, left and right, before climbing again. I think starting the sprint later was better for me today Démare started with Degenkolb and I overtook them but I was really lucky Colbrelli didn’t get the jump on me. I’m very happy to take the Yellow Jersey today – both for me and for my team – it’s the first Yellow Jersey for the BORA-hansgrohe team and I wouldn’t be wearing it if it weren’t for them. I’m very happy to have so many fans, friends and family here. My father is here, as well as my friends from Žilina – my home town – and I want to dedicate my victory to my son, Marlon.”
“The team worked brilliantly today, from 50km out we pulled at the front, we pushed hard and we regrouped in the last km,” said Sagan’s teammate Marcus Burghardt. “We did a good leadout and that crazy guy Peter finished the hard sprint with a victory. It’s so good taking the first ever yellow jersey for BORA-hansgrohe, today – it’s a historic day. We are going to celebrate this victory a little bit tonight. It’s a special day for the team. We are then going to take this race day by day. We achieved our first goal – a stage win – and we now go forward.”
“Only a few meters” for Cobrelli
Sonny Colbrelli is happy for his second place but, at the same time, he has some regrets. “I was sitting in the wind trying to stay on the Sagan wheel – explain the Italian rider – and when I did, he anticipated me”.
“I recovered a few meters but it was not enough. It was a difficult sprint, everyone is full of energy and they want to stay in front to try to win. The finish was very insidious with several dangerous corners. But this is the Tour “.
Heinrich Haussler fell when he missed with less than 2km to go but fortunately without particular consequences. “It’s just normal – comments” Heino “- is only the second day of Tour de France and everyone wants to win. There were too many people in the front and six riders. A guy went down in front of me and … ”
No Sprint Chance for Cavendish
With 20km, Team Dimension Data tried to position Mark Cavendish through the technical run-in to the line. Team Sky took command of the final 5km, keeping their GC riders safe before Bora-Hansgrohe and Quickstep-Floors took over for the sprint leadout.
Dimension Data battled to get our sprint train going at full tilt, but Cavendish was too far back when the crash took down previous race leader Fernando Gaviria and others, forcing him to miss a chance at the sprint.
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