Tinkoff-Saxo and team captain Alberto Contador took 1’24” on many GC rivals, as stage 2 turned into a proper chase after several splits in the peloton had caught many favorites behind. After having pulled the front group in support of Contador, Peter Sagan sprinted to 2nd place, one inch off stage winner André Greipel.
 
Le Tour de France maintained its tempo after yesterday’s Grand Depart, as things heated up in the treacherous conditions near the Dutch coastline. Team leader Contador gained 1’24” on several competitors including Quintana and last year’s winner Nibali. Following the stage, Contador notes that he is satisfied with the outcome.
 
“I'm happy with the way we raced today. It was a day where one could build time advantages. It's a pity there was number of teams such as BMC or Sky that didn't start working until late in the stage. However, at the end they gave us a hand and I'm satisfied with the result. In what regards myself, it wasn't very tiring and in addition we avoided having any crashes”, says Alberto Contador, who had Sagan, Bennati, Rogers and Kreuziger alongside him in the diminished front group:
 
“I would like to thank my teammates for their work and the focus is now on recovering tonight as we have another difficult stage ahead of us tomorrow. It's always good to have a few of the main rivals behind me in the GC than at the front but we still have a long way ahead of us and I think the advantage I have today will mean nothing by the end of the Tour”, adds Alberto Contador.

“I just must thank my team-mates. Here's your man!” he told journalists in English as Michael Rogers was riding past.

“We knew that with eight or nine guys up there, we could make a difference. We used our assets well. It was a good day, we'll keep trying tomorrow,” Rogers said.

Stage 2 of Tour de France took the riders from Utrecht to the windswept Dutch coastal line. Within the final part of the 166km stage, the peloton broke up in pieces, as the riders entered difficult weather and high pace in the run in towards the finish line. Steven de Jongh, Head Sports Director, assesses that Tinkoff-Saxo’s positioning at the front of the field was vital, as crashes and wind created splits and gaps.
 
“Today was most definitely a very busy day and the boys did well in maintaining a position at the front of the peloton throughout the stage - you could say that it was decisive, as the gaps were created and we still had five guys in the front group. For sure it’s better to gain time than to lose it and that’s what we did today, so in that sense we can be pleased”, comments Steven de Jongh before adding:
 
“It’s nice to gain time but there will be many other stages, where we will face similar situations, and a team time trial, where we could very well see big time differences. The squad did what they had to do today and everybody contributed in an effort to support Alberto. Perhaps we could have gained more time on the second group but there were periods, where nobody wanted to pull with us at the front”, says Steven de Jongh, who adds about Peter Sagan’s second place in the final sprint.
 
“He was helping Alberto, kept focus and played an important role. Then as we approached the finish line, he could try to go for a good result and he came very close to the win”.
 
Tomorrow’s stage 3 of Tour de France presents the riders, including the GC favorites, with a notable challenge, as the race will finish atop the dreaded Mur du Huy.