However, the way today's race was unfolding was truly strange.
Huang Chong was tucked into the peloton with the Yellow Jersey. With only 66 kilometers to the finish line, the gap to the breakaway group up ahead was a staggering nine and a half minutes.
At this pace, it was clear the peloton was letting Stage 2 go.
Of course, the breakaway lineup today was indeed formidable.
Bardet and his teammate Vandenbroucke's successful breakaway yesterday had clearly shown the other breakaway specialists that a stage victory was within reach.
A total of ten riders had chosen to break away. Besides Abrahamsen from the Uno-X Team, who was wearing the Polka Dot Jersey today and continuing his breakaway efforts, the other nine were from:
Kévin Vauquelin and Cristian Rodríguez from the Arkéa Team.
Constant Pash from the FDJ Team.
Harold Tejada from the Astana Team.
Nélson Oliveira from the Movistar Team.
Axel Laurance from the Alpecin Team.
