Four neophytes on the move
196 riders listened to the European anthem as well as the French and the German ones during the starting ceremony in Düsseldorf after Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) had pulled out during the inaugural time trial. Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott) was next to leave the race as he was also injured after a crash while racing against the clock. From the gun, Thomas Boudat (Direct Energie) initiated the first breakaway of the 104th Tour de France, quickly joined by Taylor Phinney (Cannondale-Drapac), Yoann Offredo (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Laurent Pichon (Fortuneo-Oscaro). Their advantage didn't exceed 3.25. All four escapees were debutants at the Tour de France this year but the bunch took them very seriously with the teams of the sprinters setting a steady pace at the front: Lotto-Soudal, Quick-Step Floors, Dimension Data, FDJ, Katusha-Alpecin…
Taylor Phinney in the polka dot jersey
For his Tour debut, Phinney was smart enough to sprint at Grafenberg, km 6.5, to score one point in the King of the Mountains. He also outsprinted Pichon at Côte d'Olne with 20.5km to go to get the first polka dot jersey of the 2017 Tour de France, six years after another American, Tejay van Garderen, wore it.
Breakaway caught with 1km to go
It was raining badly when the peloton left Germany for Belgium for the last hour of stage 2. With 31km to go, Chris Froome (Sky) and Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale) were involved in a heavy crash but they made it across seven kilometers further. With 15km to go, Phinney and Offredo forged on while Pichon and Boudat were reeled in. Offredo was awarded the price of the most aggressive rider of the day. The duo still had 30 seconds lead with 4km to go but they got reeled in 1km before the end. Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) didn't have a real train to lead him out but he made his way to victory in the middle of the road to outsprint Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) and André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) who were leading the charge on the left side. Démare was on Kittel's side to take the second position. This is the 21st victory by a German rider at the Tour de France since 2013.
