Stage 2
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix 4:18:30
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
UAE Team Emirates rider and defending champion Tadej Pogacar clinched a podium finish and moved to second spot overall after stage two of the Tour de France on Sunday.
The Slovenian finished second ahead of countryman Primoz Roglic of Jumbo-Visma in the 183.5-kilometre second stage, which was won by Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Fenix.
An emotional Van der Poel was in tears after the race, dedicating his stage win to his late grandfather Raymond Poulidor who finished on the Tour’s podium eight times but never wore the yellow jersey.
“I have no words, really,” the Dutchman said. “Imagine if he was here how proud he would have been. He isn’t here anymore to see but as I said, imagine how proud he would be.”
The result gave UAE Team Emirates a timely boost after the issues they faced on the opening day. On Saturday, rider Marc Hirschi was among a group of riders involved in a crash when Team Jumbo Visma's Tony Martin collided with a fan who strayed onto the road. Swiss rider Hirschi was passed fit by the medical team to compete on Sunday.
Van der Poel made two attacking forays in the final 20km. He led from stage one winner Julien Alaphilippe of Deceuninck-QuickStep, before dashing to the line from the final 150m eight seconds ahead of Pogacar and Roglic.
The 10 bonus seconds on the line, and the eight Van der Poel claimed on the first ascent of the climb, moved him into yellow with an advantage of eight seconds to Alaphilippe.
“I just launched my first attack with one lap to go and no one followed,” Van der Poel added.
“I kept on going until I had the bonus seconds and that was my only and last chance to grab the yellow jersey.
“The last 500 metres were really painful but I knew that I had to keep on going as fast as I could just to get the gap. I didn’t know until five minutes after the finish that I had the yellow jersey. It’s unbelievable.”
Van der Poel caught everyone by surprise with an early attack. He was unable to build a significant advantage though, and he was within sights just as the riders approached the summit of the Mur-de-Bretagne.
Van der Poel did take the eight bonus seconds on offer for the first rider across the summit, though, with Pogacar taking a crucial five bonus seconds, and Roglic two.
The race then entered a moment of calm, headed by Ineos Grenadiers, before the final ascent began with two kilometres to go.
Richie Porte of Ineos Grenadiers set a searing pace on the front, and with 1.3km to go Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) attacked from deep.
That move ignited a response from Van der Poel. Pogacar and Roglic were also attentive, as was Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious), who made his move with 900m between him and the line.
The sight of Colbrelli forced a second reaction from Van der Poel, Pogacar and Roglic, and within 150m Van der Poel had jumped clear and this time his attack was to stay.
It was surprising how Alaphilippe, especially, didn’t respond to the Dutch superstar, with the Frenchman seemingly content to gift the yellow jersey to his biggest rival.
Van der Poel rode to an emotional victory eight seconds ahead of Pogacar and Roglic, the Slovenians taking second and third and the bonus seconds on offer, an early reminder that they are the race’s two favourites for yellow come Paris.
The Tour continues with stage three on Monday, a 182.9km from Lorient to Pontivy which should see the race's first sprint finish.
Bio
Age: 25
Town: Al Diqdaqah – Ras Al Khaimah
Education: Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
Favourite colour: White
Favourite place in the UAE: Downtown Dubai
Favourite book: A Life in Administration by Ghazi Al Gosaibi.
First owned baking book: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.
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Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
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WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
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Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
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Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Stage 2
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix 4:18:30
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
