Stage 2 of the Tour of Britain was a day that had all the makings of a damp, attritional slog but ended in a masterclass from Olav Kooij, who claimed back-to-back victories to extend his lead on the general classification. The 169.3km loop around Stowmarket took place under heavy grey skies, the kind of British summer day that seems to weigh on both riders and fans alike, with rain lashing down for long stretches. Yet beneath the gloom, the race developed into a tightly controlled affair that highlighted both the futility of the breakaway and the inevitability of another bunch sprint.
The opening kilometres saw the day’s move snap clear with surprising ease. Baptiste Veistroffer of Lotto, Rafael Reis of Anicolor–Tien 21, and the Unibet Tietema Rockets duo of Andreas Stokbro Nielsen and Hartthijs de Vries were joined by the Great Britain pairing of Ben Wiggins and Josh Charlton. For a short time, it looked like a strong enough group to at least test the peloton’s resolve, but a crash between the two British riders removed them before the move had even settled, cutting the break to four. That quartet worked steadily, building a lead of just over two minutes, but they were always kept on a short leash by the green-jerseyed Visma | Lease a Bike train riding for Kooij.
Photo Credit: Cor VosThe day’s one classified climb, Semer Hill, offered a brief highlight for the escapees. Stokbro Nielsen jumped clear to take the maximum points, showing the Rockets’ intent to leave with something tangible, even as the peloton bore down. The group was then reduced to individuals chasing glory, Stokbro’s accelerations only ever yielding a few bike lengths before being absorbed again. The weather made life miserable, and though the peloton rode cautiously to avoid incidents, the sodden roads left the leaders’ gap eroded steadily.
With 40km to go, the margin was just two minutes, and by the final 20km, the race was firmly in the grip of the sprinters’ teams. Bahrain Victorious and Soudal Quick-Step took turns alongside Visma, with Remco Evenepoel even putting in a shift at the front, a rare sight in a flat stage but one that underscored the control being exerted. By 3km to go, the four remaining escapees were swept up, leaving the sprint teams to organise on the broad roads back into Stowmarket.
Photo Credit: Cor VosThe finale itself was messy, as often happens in the rain. Bahrain set up best approaching the last kilometre, with Sam Watson appearing ideally placed to open his sprint, while Tom Crabbé hovered on his wheel. Kooij, by contrast, seemed caught in traffic, boxed out of the ideal lane. Yet the Visma man read the final corner to perfection, diving into a gap and launching from distance. His sprint was a thing of sheer brute force, head down against the rain, powering away from the field before anyone else could react. By the line, he had a clear margin, with Crabbé taking second and Watson settling for third.
It was a win that echoed Kooij’s dominance in the 2023 edition, when he strung together four consecutive stage victories to begin the race. With two from two in 2025, the Dutchman has once again set out his stall as the man to beat in this Tour of Britain. More sprint chances lie ahead, and if today’s evidence is anything to go by, the others will need something special to stop him.
2025 Tour of Britain Men Stage 2 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
