Marcel Kittel delivered another emphatic sprinting performance on The Mall as Giant-Shimano set up the German perfectly for stage three victory.
The German held almost a bike’s length advantage as he outsprinted Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and Mark Renshaw (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) to claim his second stage win in three days in England.
It leaves the team with great confidence as they cross the Channel and prepare to resume the hostilities with another sprint-friendly stage into Lille.
But it is not just Kittel who has caught the eye in England – Sagan, already, looks to have a commanding lead in the green jersey while Bryan Coquard (Team Europcar) looks to be a rider to watch.
Mark Renshaw, meanwhile, may not have won the stage but he at least showed there is life after Mark Cavendish as far as the team’s sprinting efforts go.
Read our five observations from the stage over the following pages.
