Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) - stage winner and yellow jersey
“I always dreamt about wearing the yellow jersey and now it’s a dream come true.
It’s a prestigious jersey to wear and I don’t have any words after this stage because it was absolutely incredible.
"I want to thank my team because they really took responsibility today and I gave everything at the finish. I don’t have any words.The team did everything we planned this morning and a lot of work.
"I gave it everything I could and collaborated with the other riders, and even with the wind on the run-in, we held on and we did it. It’s only stage 2. I’m in the yellow jersey and I’ll do my best [to keep the yellow jersey]." (Flobikes)
Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) - third on the stage
"I just came across to Julian Alaphilippe and [Marc] Hirschi and then we started working on the descent. There was a block headwind coming into the final and it wasn’t super easy. In the end I was never going to win the sprint, them too were both faster than me, but to come third on stage 2, I’m pretty happy with that.
"Maybe if there was another climb or something, but like I said, in a sprint with them two, on this kind of finish, I was always going to end up second or third. All in all it was a good day." (Mitchelton-Scott)
Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) - fourth on the stage
"It was super hard, but in a good way compared to yesterday. I had in mind to take yellow and to win the stage, so I gave it all, like a one-day race. Unfortunately, three guys stayed in front, and they were the best.
"In racing, anything can happen, and I just played my cards. I’m a bit disappointed, of course, after surviving these kind of climbs and these kinds of riders. It would be nicer to come closer to victory, but I cannot change it.
"I think stage 5 is a good one for me with an uphill sprint. The legs are responding well. I am hoping there are a few more chances for me, and I’m hoping it’s not my last chance for a stage win in this Tour." (CCC Team)
Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) - 17th on the stage
"I feel happy to be in the race again, to be honest. I enjoyed the stage, it was a proper Tour stage.
"In the final [kilometres] Kwiatkowski and Richard Carapaz did a great job. We just arrived at the finish and saved as much of our legs as possible. That’s the Tour. We just go day by day and try to save energy for the last part of the Tour." (Ineos Grenadiers)
