Tour de France Stage 2 Predictions: Pog can pounce on Sunday

After the excitement of the Grand Depart in and around Lille, the 112th Tour de France heads to the coast on Sunday, travelling 209.1km between Lauwin-Planque and Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Read on for my Tour de France Stage 2 predictions.

Nerves will still be present as the peloton settles into some sort of rhythm and this route will do little to calm things down.

With the possibility for crosswinds and a punchy finish punctuated by three climbs in the final third of the parcours, one or more of the overall contenders could lose time.

Tour de France Stage 2 Odds

After some late disruption in Lille, Alpecin-Deceuninck's Jasper Philipsen cruised home in the sprint to take his 10th career stage win at the Tour and collect the first yellow jersey for the 2025 edition of La Grande Boucle.

However, he is unlikely to hold onto the race lead, with this 'hilly' day one for the Classics specialists.

The Route 

At 209.1km, Stage 2 is the longest of this year's Tour and although there are only four categorised climbs, the route from Lauwin-Planque to Boulouge-sur-Mer is rarely flat, providing little respite for those aiming to find some rhythm.

Classified as 'hilly', Philipsen's and the other sprinters' teams will hope to control proceedings but that looks unlikely.

The punchy finish, featuring three climbs in the final 30km and a drag to the line, means there is every chance that a solo attack could lead to the winner ending the day in yellow.

Tadej Pogacar @ 4/1

After an almost perfect 2024, reigning champion Tadej Pogacar has only grown stronger this year.

Following a series of solo wins in the Classics, the punchy late climbs along Sunday's route provide an opportunity for another trademark solo attack.

The Slovene took the yellow jersey, albeit in different circumstances on the second day of last year's Tour when the UAE Team Emirates rider rode in with his fellow favourites in Bologna.

Pogacar relinquished that prize 24 hours later but he won't be afraid to take the race lead this early and his confidence is sky-high after attacking with regular success in 2025.

On a day when some of his rivals may struggle, the 26-year-old could lay down an early marker by winning in Boulogne.

Julian Alaphilippe each-way @ 80/1

His days as the darling of the French cycling public might be in the past but Julian Alaphilippe still rides with real dazzle and finished fifth at the recent Tour du Suisse.

Stages like this used to be his forte, biding his time before breaking from the group, famously taking the yellow jersey with an attack on the final climb, the Côte de la Fosse aux Loups, on the opening day in 2021.

That finish was predominantly uphill, but the undulating nature of the final 30km suits Alaphilippe even more, and the Tudor rider offers an each-way option to win and take the maillot jaune.

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Find more Cycling Tips as we provide stage-by-stage coverage of the 2025 Tour de France here at Betfred Insights