Reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Isaac del Toro delivered a commanding performance on stage two of the Tour de France, held in Barcelona. Del Toro, the 22-year-old Mexican national champion and key support rider for Pogačar, won the stage despite suffering a mechanical issue with 60 kilometers remaining. He rejoined the main group less than 10 kilometers later and excelled on the climbs, helping the team secure a one-two finish.

Pogačar, who rarely celebrates second-place finishes, was visibly pleased, raising his arms in triumph. By finishing second, he cut the overall lead of his key rival, Jonas Vingegaard, to six seconds on bonus seconds.

Del Toro expressed pride in his victory, noting its significance coincided with Mexico's football team playing England in the World Cup round of 16. He said, "You cannot believe how it feels, now for me, especially for the country."

Pogačar also commented on the race terrain, stating, "I think this circuit is not my favourite terrain, so I think I can be pretty happy with keeping the yellow jersey."

The stage covered 168.5 kilometers from Tarragona to Barcelona, including three laps up the Cote de Chateau de Montjuïc. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG responded tactically to the previous day's team time trial victory by Visma Lease a Bike.

Officials announced that the French portion of the race will be closed to fans due to risks posed by a forest fire raging in the region.

Sources