Preview: 2014 Tour de France — Stage 2

York to Sheffield (201km)

Sunday, July 6th 6:20 a.m. – 11:14 a.m. EDT

This should be a magnificent stage, with a profile that is nearly a mirror image of the spring classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In the historical context of the Tour’s early days, this stage is unusual, but it will be fascinating because the favorites for the overall classification can’t allow themselves to be caught napping. Riders such as Froome, Contador, Nibali, and Valverde need to be at the front. On this kind of terrain, look for them more than for Sagan, who might find the climbs a bit too tough for his liking. With that in mind, we can expect a lot to happen on this stage across Yorkshire, assuming that the best riders play their part.