Tour de Suisse Men stage 2 LIVE: 14-rider breakaway gets up the road as Pogačar’s UAE team control in the peloton

The gap to the break is still sat at around 1:45, with UAE controlling the peloton.

2026-06-18T13:22:19.049Z

Afonos Eulálio announced himself to the world at the Giro d’Italia with a stunning stint in the pink jersey. Here he is leading the breakaway on stage 2 at the Tour de Suisse, but he won’t be able to mount much of a surprise attack.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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After being allowed to form on a long section of uncategorised climbing, the break is now onto a long descent and then flatter middle section of the route.

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After a tough opening hour of racing on stage 2, the average speed was 46kph.

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There are 14 riders in the front now on stage 2, with 115km to go:
– Emiel Verstrynge (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
– Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain-Victorious)
– Ewen Costiou (Groupama-FDJ United)
– Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United)
– Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek)
– Filippo Zana (Soudal-QuickStep)
– Finlay Pickering (Jayco AlUla)
– Chris Hamilton (Picnic PostNL)
– Bart Lemmen (Visma-Lease a Bike)
– Marco Schrettle (XDS Astana)
– Milan Vader (Pinarello-Q36.5)
– Marcel Camprubi (Pinarello Q36.5)
– Fred Wright (Pinarello Q36.5)
– Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor)

2026-06-18T13:05:06.687Z

Race leader Pogačar’s UAE team are controlling on the front of the peloton, as expected.

Scratch that, the peloton seems happy with this composition and are now slowing down after almost 40km of fighting.

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Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) is on the move in a counterattack, trying to join the front group. The peloton is not letting up at all, though, with the gap still at just 25 seconds.

2026-06-18T12:58:04.090Z

More attacks coming now over a section of uncategorised climbing. Just a day and a half into this edition and it’s been all-out pretty much the entire time.

Mosca, Calzoni and Rota have all been caught and the racing is back together once again on stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse.

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A look inside some of the early action, with UAE, Lidl and Tudor among the teams towards the front in the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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The gaps are still slim at only 12 seconds, however. Lorenzo Rota (Lotto-Intermarché) is chasing to try and make it three in front.

Jacopo Mosca (Lidl-Trek) and Walter Calzoni (Pinarello-Q36.5) have formed a new two-man break at the head of the race.

2026-06-18T12:45:28.653Z

While the next categorised climbs don’t come until the final 20km of the stage, there’s lot of uncategorised uphill roads along the remainder of the route until then, so expect more action.

Those early attempts at forming a breakaway have been stopped for the moment as racing comes back together on stage 2. Rapid opening 20km so far.

2026-06-18T12:37:57.623Z

Vervaeke led the race over the King of the Mountains point, taking the maximum six points. He’s still a ways away from the haul of 14 Pogačar took on the opening day.

2026-06-18T12:36:48.863Z

Over the upper slopes of the climb and the crest, the composition of the front group on stage 2 has changed dramatically, with five riders now in the lead:
– Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious)
– Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-QuickStep)
– Remy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ United)
– Bart Lemmen (Visma-Lease a Bike)
– Xabier Mikel Azparren (Pinarello-Q36.5)

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Movistar have made a big move on this climb, with both Nairo Quintana and Enric Mas also attacking across to join the original group of six and their teammate Aular.

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Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) has attacked across to the leading group. He’s a deadly threat for the stage win if this move can stick, but the gaps are still small.

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The gap to the breakaway is coming down quickly on this first climb as more riders jump off the front and some start to struggle under the pressure of the high tempo.

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The breakaway has a lead of around 40 seconds as it reaches the first climb of the stage to Monte Ceneri (5.2km at 6.4%).

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Early breakaway composition:
– Paul Lapeira (Decathlon CMA CGM)
– Alec Segaert (Bahrain-Victorious)
– Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United)
– Orluis Aular (Movistar)
– Patrick Gamper (Jayco AlUla)
– Xandro Meurisse (Pinarello-Q36.5)

Six riders have got up the road to form the early breakaway, with around 5km until the foot of the first climb of the day.

2026-06-18T12:15:50.666Z

Race leader Tadej Pogačar was given a prize to commemorate him reaching 100 career victories at the start in Locarno. Curiously, he managed this feat on stage 4 of last year’s Tour and has won 18 times since then, perhaps explaining the look on his face…

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-06-18T12:11:58.572Z

As the first wave of attacks starts, here’s a reminder that there have already been lots of other news stories coming out from the world of cycling today, such as this on Romain Bardet:

Stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse men is underway. All 136 riders who finished yesterday’s opener have taken the start.

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The riders are away from the start line and onto a 4.1-kilometre section of neutralised racing, before the official start.

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Just minutes away from the start in Locarno, and the riders will only have around 12km of racing to settle in before the first climb to Monte Ceneri (5.2km at 6.4%).

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If you missed any of he action from the second stage of the women’s race this morning at the Tour de Suisse, catch up with our stage report: