It took a late breakaway by Victor Lafay for Cofidis to finish its 15-year winless streak on the Tour de France.
Cofidis gained the second stage on Sunday after Lafay moved to the entrance and held off a late cost by the favorites to clinch the victory, with Adam Yates protecting the general lead after the opening two levels in northern Spain.
Cofidis hadn’t gained in the Tour since Sylvain Chavanel triumphed in the nineteenth stage of the 2008 version.
“It’s a relief for Cofidis to finally get a stage win,” Lafay stated. “I’ve been hearing about this for five years since I joined the team. I’m happy to free the team from this burden. We’ll keep going. We want more.”
The French rider took the lead inside the last kilometer and held on for victory in what was the Tour’s longest stage this 12 months. The peloton got here charging on the finish however couldn’t meet up with him forward of the end line.
“When I attacked, I didn’t even evaluate if it was going to work or not,” stated Lafay, whose solely different victory at a Grand Tour race had come in the 2021 Giro d’Italia. “Then I was seeing the finishing line getting closer and my power getting lower in numbers but it has worked out. It’s crazy.”
The 27-year-old maintained the custom of French stage wins in San Sebastian after Louis Caput in 1949 and Dominique Arnould in 1992.
Wout van Aert of Jumbo-Visma was second and Tadej Pogacar third on the end line in the Basque Country metropolis of San Sebastian after a hilly stage of greater than 200 kilometers.
Adam Yates, the winner of the opening stage on Saturday, completed shut behind to retain the general chief’s yellow Jersey. He was six seconds forward of race-favorite Pogacar and his twin brother Simon Yates, who was second on Saturday.
⏪Relive the ultimate km of Stage 2 of the #TDF2023, the place @victorlafay gained by attacking beneath the flamme rouge
⏪Revivez le dernier km de la 2ème étape du #TDF2023, où @victorlafay a gagné en attaquant sous la flamme rouge! pic.twitter.com/xLryP6X00E
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 2, 2023
