Race preview

Tour de France Today: all you need to know about Stage 2

After Jasper Philipsen stormed into yellow on a windy and chaotic stage 1, will the Belgian be able to defend the race lead on a hilly second stage to Boulogne-sur-Mer? Catch up with anything you might have missed and get all the details of what's coming up today in Domestique's daily guide.

by Joe Morgan
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Tour de France Stage 1
Harry Talbot

Tour de France stage 2 profile

After an opportunity for the sprinters to fight for yellow on the opening stage in Lille, stage 2 should see the puncheurs come to the fore. It's a relentless stage of 209.1 kilometres from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, which features plenty of hills and a testing finish. The stage is characterised by lumpy terrain, building towards an explosive finale featuring short, steep climbs.

The neutralised start is at 12:15 (CET) while the finish is expected at 17:20 (CET).

Follow stage 2 via our live report

Tour de France Stage 2

What to expect?

Stage 2 is the longest of the entire 2025 Tour, standing at 212 kilometres, and it will be a hilly affair in the Artois and Boulonnais regions to contend with. In total, there are four categorised climbs, but the final two will be most significant, both coming with less than 10 kilometres from the finish line in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Read our stage 2 preview for a full analysis

With the tough terrain on the menu, it's highly likely the maillot jaune will change shoulders.

Who are the key contenders? Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Wout van Aert are among the standout favourites for this stage. Other riders to watch include Thibau Nys, Ben Healy and Romain Grégoire.

Tour de France: Results and classification standings after stage 1

What time does stage 2 of the Tour de France start?

Stage 2 of the 2025 Tour de France will begin with a neutralised start at 12:30 (CET), with the finish expected around 17:35 (CET). Full live coverage will be available from start to finish.

Key moments of stage 2 to watch

When should you tune in? (Based on 42km/h race schedule)

  • Côte du Haut Pichot: 29.9km to go - Around 16:51 (CET)
  • Last 10km: featuring both the Côte de Saint-Etienne-au-Mont: 8.6km to go, and the Côte d’Outreau 5.3km to go - Around 17:19 (CET)

How to watch the 2025 Tour de France: Live Stream, TV coverage and broadcasters by country

The 2025 Tour de France is being broadcast in over 190 countries. In the table below, you can find the broadcasters for the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia.

Do you want to know more about the broadcaster for your county? Visit our 'How to watch the 2025 Tour de France' guide.' This guide includes the full TV schedule, live stream options, and a country-by-country broadcaster list.

Country Tour de France live broadcaster

United Kingdom

ITV / TNT Sports / Discovery+

United States

NBC Sports

Canada

FloBikes

Australia

SBS

How to follow the Tour de France on Domestique?

  • Our live race report keeps you updated with all the action as it happens, and also brings you the key pre and post-race interviews. Coverage for stage 2 starts at 11:00 (CET)
  • During the whole day, you can enjoy full coverage in terms of news and interviews
  • Directly after the race, you can enjoy a post-race show with Cyrus Monk and Aiden Burgess
  • For sharp insights and expert takes, stay tuned to Domestique after the finish.

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