Tour 2023: Victor Lafay mocks Wout van Aert, Adam Yates stays in yellow

Lafay’s winning outburst in San Sebastian

Victor Lafay won the second stage of the Tour de France 2023, a 209-kilometer stage with start and finish in Basque territory, from Vitoria to San Sebastian.

The rider from Cofidis (a team returning to win a stage at the Grande Boucle after 15 years), class of 1996, mocked Wout van Aert of Jumbo-Visma and Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates in a narrow sprint. Also in the main bunch was Adam Yates, the Slovenian’s teammate, who confirmed his lead in the general classification just ahead of Pogacar and his twin brother Simon Yates (Team Jayco Alula), both at 6″.

The stage, which featured among the obstacles the Jaizkibel climb, known to be the decisive obstacle of the San Sebastian Classic, saw as the best of the Italians Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), 12th at the finish. Ciccone is also the best tricolor athlete in the overall: after two stages he is 21st, 43″ behind Adam Yates.