Sensational UAE one-two in Barcelona, where Pogacar grants Del Toro his first Tour de France stage
CyclingSunday, 05 July 2026 at 18:36
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleThe second stage of the Tour de France was won by Isaac Del Toro. The Mexican from UAE Team Emirates-XRG did a fantastic lead-out for Tadej Pogacar, dropping everyone from his wheel. The Slovenian was thus able to concede the victory to his teammate. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) finished third, ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, who retained the yellow jersey.
ADVERTISEMENT
The team time trial on day one provided a spectacular start to this edition of the Tour de France. Jonas Vingegaard was launched by Visma | Lease a Bike and rode his way into the yellow jersey, gaining time on Tadej Pogačar and his other rivals. The Tour de France is set to remain in the Catalan capital for a while longer: a tough stage starting from Tarragona is next on the agenda.
With the triple ascent of Montjuïc in the finale acting as the decisive factor—compounded by the punishing heat—it promised to be a hellish day. Classics specialists sensed an opportunity, yet many teams recognized that the stage would likely belong to the biggest names in the sport. Would we witness the first head-to-head battle between the general classification contenders here?
The first road stage naturally also presented the first opportunity for attackers. From Tarragona, it was a hard-hitting battle right from the start, but a small group soon formed ahead. Among the three riders were two Dutchmen: Frank van den Broek (Picnic PostNL) and Alex Molenaar (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) were there, along with German champion Felix Engelhardt (Jayco AlUla).
Major crash early on Tour de France stage 2
Attacks kept coming, however, creating nervousness that ultimately led to a nasty crash. A significant number of riders hit the deck hard. Biniam Girmay (NSN), Dorian Godon (Netcompany INEOS), and Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) were the biggest names involved, but they were able to continue. Robbe Dhondt (Picnic PostNL) and Aaron Gate (XDS Astana) required medical attention after taking a heavy spill.
Gate suffered a nasty facial injury, but everyone was able to carry on. Calm returned to the race, allowing Molenaar, Van den Broek, and Engelhardt to steadily build a gap. They weren't given much leeway, however; their lead peaked at 3 minutes and 30 seconds. It did mean they could contest the intermediate sprint, where Molenaar took maximum points; back in the peloton, Girmay was the fastest, finishing ahead of Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech).
The road soon began to climb. UAE Team Emirates-XRG upped the pace and closed in on the leaders, though the breakaway trio was still able to contest the King of the Mountains points. On the Côte de Begues—a second-category climb—Molenaar proved strongest once again; he claimed five points and could realistically hope for the mountains jersey, with six points still up for grabs in the finale.
Punctures for leaders, nervous finale on Montjuïc
After the climb, Isaac Del Toro suffered a puncture, leading to a comical moment: he was overlooked by his team car and lost a significant amount of time, though he managed to easily rejoin the group thanks to his skillful descending. The same could not be said for Paul Seixas. The Frenchman also suffered a flat tire, but by then the riders had already reached Barcelona, and the pace was high.
It took a while for him to rejoin the peloton. Just before the foot of the first ascent of Montjuïc, the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team leader managed to catch back up. By then, all the other big names were visible at the front: UAE accelerated, driven by the work of Brandon McNulty. He helped form a group of around forty riders as they crossed the finish line for the first time.
Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) lost some ground but managed to rejoin the group later. McNulty also took charge during the second ascent of Montjuïc. At the front, Tadej Pogačar was visible, with yellow jersey wearer Jonas Vingegaard right on his wheel. Remco Evenepoel, Paul Seixas—who had surged to the front—Isaac Del Toro, Florian Lipowitz, and Mathieu van der Poel were also alert and well-positioned.
Van der Poel dropped; GC contenders battle it out
The thinned-out peloton entered the final lap at a relatively steady pace. Things were calm, but the final ascent of Montjuïc loomed. McNulty dropped back, and Tiesj Benoot (Decathlon) was the first to hit the climb. The Belgian ramped up the pace, causing Van der Poel to lose contact—Lipowitz also struggled. Surprisingly, there was no acceleration from Pogačar; instead, it was Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X) who made a move.
He couldn't break away, though he did crest the summit first. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) tried to slip away on the descent but failed. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) timed his move better, but Del Toro closed the gap. Del Toro then delivered a monster lead-out, but Vingegaard couldn't keep up; Pogačar subsequently allowed the Mexican to take the win.
Stage 2 Results – 2026 Tour de France
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
IDL-productions
2026 Tour de France stage 2 favourites | Pogačar out for revenge on this punchy stage to Barcelona
Brandon McNulty could be the winning difference for Pogačar at the 2026 Tour de France: 'I'm back in shape'
Bizarrely, Egan Bernal is wearing the first green jersey of the 2026 Tour de France. Here's why
Bradley Wiggins has a theory about Pogacar’s Tour de France ‘loss'; Hincapie and Armstrong go giddy for Evenepoel
IDL Pro Cycling Tour de France fantasy league results after stage 1. Who have you got for stage 2?
Latest Cycling News
Tour de France 2026 stage 3 preview | If Vingegaard wants to lose the yellow jersey, Van der Poel will pounce
2026 Tour de France Standings | Many jerseys change hands, but Vingegaard in yellow
Here's how you can 2026 Tour de France on TV, with an earlier start for stage 3
Disbelief, joy, and every other emotion: Isaac Del Toro on cloud 9 after first Tour de France stage win
🎥 Bizarre Tour de France moment for UAE: Del Toro, who had a flat tire, driven past by the team car
Popular Cycling News
Vingegaard and Visma | Lease a Bike deal Pogacar first blow with victory in Tour de France team time trial
Brandon McNulty could be the winning difference for Pogačar at the 2026 Tour de France: 'I'm back in shape'
Tour de France Route 2026 | Vingegaard draws first blood, here's what's coming up on stage 2
2026 Tour de France stage 1 team time trial favourites | Cycling's very own World Cup kicks off in Barcelona
4 kilos lighter but just as sharp-tongued: Remco Evenepoel kicks off the Tour de France with a bang
Latest Comments
- - Que espectáculo de sangre fría de Del Toro. Mantener la calma y recuperar dos minutos, impresionante. UAE respira tranquilo hoy.robert6505-07-2026
- - Proper heads-up riding. Neutral service must have been too far, so the second UAE car saved it. And Isaac’s descending lines—chef’s kiss. He’s got the Giro U23 swagger in the WorldTour now.samanthak05-07-2026
- - I’m a bit confused—why did the mechanic ride his bike back instead of just reversing the car? Is that a rule thing or safety protocol?sprocketspiny05-07-2026
- - That moment when the team car just sails past… absolute sitcom. Also, credit to Del Toro for staying ice-cold. No tantrum, just back to business. Class.velodromevirtuoso105-07-2026
- - Not sure about calling him “shadow leader” already. One flat and a good descent doesn’t make him co-leader. Let’s see it on a cat 1/HC climb before we crown him.cadencekingm05-07-2026
- - Love how UAE handled the chaos once they realized—second car straight in, smooth wheel/bike swap, and Isaac ripping the downhill like a demon. Shadow leader tag looking more justified by the day.raceready705-07-2026
- - Wait, if he lost two minutes and then “in no time at all” they were gone, how steep was that uncategorized climb? Does that usually happen so fast in a WorldTour stage or is this a bit exaggerated?gearguru3305-07-2026
- - Wild scene. Radio glitch, car blows by him, mechanic ends up time-trialling on Isaac’s bike for nothing... and Del Toro still erases 2 minutes on the climb/descent. That’s proper composure from the MX champ.cyclechamp4505-07-2026
- - Did I read right that Pogacar might go all-in in Barcelona already? Is that normal to attack so early or is this just psychological games?davidm05-07-2026
- - Grandes, Vingegaard y Visma muy fuertes. Del Toro impresionante. ¡Qué Tour nos espera!raceready705-07-2026
Loading
