Bauke Mollema was present and accounted for in the second stage for the Tour de France on Sunday.

On the ascent at the Côte du Salario, the final climb twelve kilometres from the finish line in Ajaccio, the leader from the Belkin Pro Cycling Team was at the head of the peloton thanks to Laurens ten Dam and was not surprised.

“Everything went just fine. The pace was maintained through the climb so the last bit was not so stressful – which is a good feeling. When Christopher Froome attacked, I could have tagged along – I felt good but I did not see the point. The rest of the favourites would have never let us go. I stayed calm and let the guys around Alberto Contador do the dirty work. I really did not have any trouble from yesterday’s fall – I had some abrasions and muscle pain in my back, but nothing too serious.”