Tour De France Stage 2 York to Sheffield

Italian champion Vincenzo Nibali attacked late to win stage two of the Tour de France from York to Sheffield.

Nibali broke away in the last 2km from a group including defending champion Chris Froome and double winner Alberto Contador, who came in two seconds back.

The Astana rider took over the yellow jersey from stage one winner Marcel Kittel, who finished 20 minutes adrift.

Britain's Mark Cavendish was ruled out of the race before the start of stage two after his crash on the opening day.

Belgian Greg van Avermaet finished second and Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland third in the bunch two seconds behind Nibali.

Tinkoff-Saxo's Contador was 13th and Team Sky's Froome 19th, with the Briton moving to fifth overall after his sixth-placed finish in Harrogate on day one, and Contador on the same time in eighth.

"For me it was all about staying out of trouble and avoiding any major issues or big splits," said Froome, who was cheered on by hundreds of thousands of fans in Yorkshire.

"It was really tough racing and the crowds were just incredible. I had goose bumps going up Holme Moss."

Despite enduring a difficult day on the nine categorised ascents on day two, German Kittel will chase a sixth Tour stage win in Monday's 155km third stage from Cambridge to London.

Stage two result:

1. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Astana) 5hrs 8mins 36secs

2. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing) +2secs

3. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Omega Pharma-Quick-Step)

4. Peter Sagan (Svk/Cannondale)

5. Tony Gallopin (Fra/Lotto)

6. Michael Albasini (Swi/Orica)

7. Andrew Talansky (US/Garmin)

8. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Belkin)

9. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing)

10. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R)

Overall classification:

1. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Astana) 9hrs 52mins 43secs

2. Peter Sagan (Svk/Cannondale) +2secs

3. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing)

4. Michael Albasini (Swi/Orica)

5. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky)

6. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Belkin)

7. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel/Lotto)

8. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff-Saxo)

9. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing)

10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana)

YELLOW JERSEY

 

V.NIBALIAST

WHITE JERSEY

 

R.BARDETALM

GREEN JERSEY

 

P.SAGANCAN

COMBATIVE

 

B.KADRIALM

POLKA-DOT JERSEY

 

C.LEMOINECOF

TEAM

 

TEAM SKY