As it happened: Kool breezes past Wiebes to take stage victory in yellow

Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Stage 2 of Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift!

Today is a double race day for the riders in the Tour de France Femmes peloton. This morning sees a very short 69.7km flat stage that is expected to be a sprint. Then, after a short break, the riders will come back for an even shorter 6.3km individual time trial.

But before the riders head to the neutral start, let's take in from news from the last 24 hours.

Firstly with some reaction from Lorena Wiebes (SDW)...

>>> ‘You need a chain to sprint' - SD Worx-Protime react to Lorena Wiebes' sprint mechanical at Tour de France Femmes 

Anniina Ahtosalo (UXM) was close to disaster before she sprinted to second place in The Hague yesterday...

>>> 'I somehow touched her back wheel' - Anniina Ahtosalo skirts disaster after touch of wheels with Lorena Wiebes in Tour de France Femmes sprint 

Marianne Vos wasn't happy with her legs as she sprinted to fifth place in opening sprint stage...

>>> ‘The legs exploded’ - Marianne Vos left unsatisfied with fifth on Tour de France opener after getting positioning wrong 

Tashkent City faced a lot of criticism after yesterday's stage as four of their riders were dropped on the opening stage and eventually abandoned the race...

>>> 'People can think what they want' - Tashkent City Women respond to criticism after four riders abandon Tour de France Femmes 

And finally, a word from yesterday's winner, Charlotte Kool (DFP), after what has been a challenging year for the sprinting star...

>>> 'I could breathe again' - Charlotte Kool solved mystery respiratory issues just two weeks before Tour de France Femmes triumph

It has already been a busy start for Charlotte Kool (DFP) signing autographs and taking selfies with fans...

Yesterday, three riders were handed a 20" time penalty for sheltering behind their own team car.

Those riders were:

Gaia Realini (LTK)
Lizzie Deignan (LTK)
Maggie Coles-Lyster (CGS)

The latter lost 13'09" on the peloton, last on the day. 

Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi will be another team that is very happy after yesterday's opening stage after taking the polka dot jersey and the green most aggresive rider number. 

Polka dots - Cristina Tonetti  
Green number - Iurani Blanco

Neutral start begins

The riders have started the neutral zone. Just under 6km to do before the start of the day. 

This morning's stage is likely to be a rapid one. Completely flat day with no QoM sprint or intermediate sprint for a breakaway to go for. 3km to go in the neutral zone. 

Here are the jerseys at the start today. Marianne Vos (TVL) wears green on behalf of Charlotte Kool (DFP). Cristina Tonetti (LAB) wears polka dots and Anniina Ahtosalo (UXM) wears white. 

69.7km to go

The flag is waved the racing starts! This should be a really fast morning in the saddle for the riders.

Attack

Victoire Berteau (COF)

The former French champion is not allowed to get away and FDJ-Suez now take over the pacing on the front of the peloton. 

Crash!

Dilyxine Miermont (AUB)
Alison Avoine (AUB)
Carina Schrempf (FED)
Ruth Edwards (HPH)

And several others down. Everyone back riding. 

Peloton now in tiny groups as the pace was on at the front. Racing is properly on as FDJ-Suez are joined by SD Worx-Protime on the front. 

Sarah Gigante (AGS), who lost 20" yesterday, is in one of the groups just behind the leading bunch. 

60km to go

Canyon-SRAM, FDJ-Suez, Visma-Lease a Bike, Lidl-Trek and Liv-AlUla-Jayco jostling for the front of the peloton. 25" to the group called the second peloton. A few more riders even behind that group. 

Almost the entire Movistar team in this second group as well as Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner (EFO) and Puck Pieterse (FED). They have just got into the cars behind the leading peloton. 

Crash

Nina Berton (WNT)

She is okay and is trying to fix her chain. 

Mechanical

Jeanne Korevaar (LAJ)

It is the usual mess of road furniture for the riders to deal with with a lot of nerves in the bunch after the crashes. Everyone trying to point out the hazards to each other. 

50km to go

So many riders and teams wanting to keep their leaders near the front with eight riders battling for the lead of the peloton on this slightly wider road. 

The riders all seem to be back together again and the racing has calmed down. We have only had one attack today and nothing since. Just a high pace on the front now being set by the same teams as at the start, FDJ-Suez and SD Worx-Protime. 

Attack!

Laura Tomasi (LAB)

But she only took about 50 metres before Lidl-Trek drag her back once again. 

40km to go

Lidl-Trek now keen to work on the front now as well as FDJ-Suez and SD Worx-Protime. Trying to avoid yet more issues for Gaia Realini (LTK) after she was penalised 20" for following her team car. 

Attack!

Audrey De Keersmaeker (LTD)

She picked a brilliant moment to go as the race went into multiple tight twisty bends and the Belgian has a gap of about 100 metres at the moment. 

De Keersmaeker (LTD) now has around 20" on the peloton. She is riding really well considering the pace being set behind in the peloton. 

Crash!

Grace Brown (FST)
Dilyxine Miermont (AUB)

A second tumble for Miermont. Both back riding. 

Bike change

Grace Brown (FST)

The gap has plummeted to De Keersmaeker (LTD) and she now has just a handful of seconds on the peloton. 

30km to go

Could you get a more Dutch photograph than this one? 

The gap to De Keersmaeker (LTD) has extended her gap to 25" yet again as the peloton have eased up on their intense pacing. 

Crash!

Mieke Docx (LTD)
Nikola Nosková (COF)
Yanina Kuskova (TCF)

All back riding after bike changes and mechanical assistance. 

20km to go

De Keersmaeker (LTD) is doing a superb job here. She now has a gap of 32" on the chasing peloton led by LIdl-Trek, Canyon-SRAM, FDJ-Suez and SD Worx-Protime. DSM-Firmenich-PostNL lurking in the background too. 

The pace is suddenly on in the peloton with multiple teams moving up to the front as the sprint trains begin to form. De Keersmaeker's (LTD) gap is now being closed dramatically with just 7" left for her now. 

The riders now heading into the city of Rotterdam's suburbs. De Keersmaeker (LTD) pulls her gap out again. It is now at 15".

Visma-Lease a Bike, FDJ-Suez and SD Worx-Protime leading the way, as has been the norm this morning. They have De Keersmaeker (LTD) held at around 13" now. Fenix-Deceuninck also now trying to move up.

Dropped

Nafosat Kozieva (TCF)

Another bad moment for the team from Uzbekistan as they don't appear to have the level to keep up, unfortunately. 

10km to go

Audrey De Keersmaeker (LTD) is caught! Visma-Lease a Bike and SD Worx-Protime make the catch. 

Ceratizit-WNT take over the position of FDJ-Suez at the front of the bunch alongside Visma-Lease a Bike and SD Worx-Protime. Quite a few riders suddenly unable to follow the pace with about 20 riders out of the back. 

5km to go

Finally, the team of the yellow jersey Charlotte Kool comes to the front. DSM-Firmenich-PostNL looking for two wins in a row. 

Into the final 4km of the morning stage. The first of two stages today. Lots of twisty roads for the riders to tackle as their make their way to the finish. 

3km to go, Ceratizit-WNT and SD Worx-Protime have won the battle for the lead of the peloton for the moment. 

Crash!

Amber Pate (LAJ)
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (LAJ)
Marthe Truyen (FED)
Michaela Drummond (ARK)

The peloton now split but all these riders will get the same time. Shirin van Anrooij (LTK) and Gaia Realini (LTK) involved in that group out the back. 

Flamme Rouge

Into the final kilometre and SD Worx-Protime have complete control of the bunch as they head towards the sprint. Can Lorena Wiebes (SDW) take the win she couldn't sprint for yesterday? 

500 metres to go as SD Worx-Protime are beginning to get a little bit swamped but Mischa Bredewold (SDW) is doing a fine job. 

Charlotte Kool (DFP) wins stage two of the Tour de France Femmes 2024!! 

She beats Lorena Wiebes (SDW) on the throw to the line as the SD Worx-Protime rider just went a bit too early with Marianne Vos (TVL) and Kool locked onto her wheel.

Charlotte Kool (DFP) had so much speed as she flew passed Marianne Vos (TVL) to then slingshot passed Lorena Wiebes (SDW) to take her second stage win. Her first win in the yellow jersey. 

Stage two top 10

1. Charlotte Kool (NED) DSM-Firmenich-PostNL 1:32'49"
2. Lorena Wiebes (NED) SD Worx-Protime
3. Marianne Vos (NED) Visma-Lease a BIke
4. Lotta Henttala (FIN) Uno-X Mobility
5. Elisa Balsamo (ITA) Lidl-Trek
6. Rachele Barbieri (ITA) DSM-Firmenich-PostNL
7. Mylene De Zoete (NED) Ceratizit-WNT
8. Maggie Coles-Lyster (CAN) Roland
9. Martina Alzini (ITA) Cofidis
10. Puck Pieterse (NED) Fenix-Deceuninck, all S.T.

General Classification after stage two

1. Charlotte Kool (NED) DSM-Firmenich-PostNL 4:20'09"
2. Anniina Ahtosalo (FIN) Uno-X Mobility +14"
3. Lorena Wiebes (NED) SD Worx-Protime S.T.
4. Marianne Vos (NED) Visma-Lease a BIke +16"
5. Elisa Balsamo (ITA) Lidl-Trek S.T.
6. Lotta Henttala (FIN) EF-Oatly-Cannondale +20"
7. Mylene De Zoete (NED) Ceratizit-WNT
8. Emilia Fahlin (SWE) Arkea-B&B Hotels
9. Kathrin Shweinberger (AUT) Ceratizit-WNT
10. Kim Le Court (MAU) AG Insurance-Soudal, all S.T.

It is now a very interesting moment for the riders. What to do now before the time trial this afternoon. First rider is set to roll off the ramp at 14:10 UK time, so just over three hours to rest, get changed and prep for the next stage. 

Make sure to take a look at our post race report while you wait for the third stage of this year's Tour de France Femmes for the latest reaction from Kool (DFP) by clicking the link below. Also, make sure to enjoy all the other articles on our site.

>>> Tour de France Femmes: Charlotte Kool outpaces Lorena Wiebes to win stage 2 

Another yellow jersey for Charlotte Kool (DFP). But, can she keep it after this afternoon's time trial? She has 20" on the rest of the peloton for a course that is just over 6km long, that is a lot of time to close. 

And Charlotte Kool (DFP) continues in green as well. This will continue to be worn by Marianne Vos (TVL) as she remains in second place in the competition. 

Cristina Tonetti (LAB) keeps the polka dot jersey as there were no points available on this morning's stage. Also no points available in the time trial either. 

Anniina Ahtosalo (UXM) keeps hold of the white jersey after the second stage. Can she keep it after the time trial? She has just 6" over her rivals in that competition. 

And, unsurprisingly, Audrey De Keersmaeker (LTD) wins the most combative rider award. She will wear the green number in the time trial later today. 

Now we just wait for this afternoon. The riders will have to change focus to time trial prep and make sure they're feeling good for a short blast around the city streets of Rotterdam.