Jan Bakelants, Tour de France stage two

Perhaps the attack to end all attacks, the daring, the courage and the sheer tenacity of Jan Bakelants’ solo bid for glory in Corsica established his reputation almost overnight. After the carnage of the opening stage the previous day, stage two of the 100th Tour de France looked set for a more straightforward finish, even after Chris Froome’s (Team Sky) audacious attack on the Cote du Salario – which was more a statement than a genuine attempt at glory. Cyril Gautier (Europcar) made a lone bid for glory, but even when a six-man pursuing group containing hardmen Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) among others – with Bakelants among them, all eyes were still on Peter Sagan (Cannondale) who was expected to sprint to victory.

However, the Belgian summoned the sort of courage more associated with his Radioshack-Leopard team-mate Jens Voigt to provide a dramatic twist to the story. With the peloton closing in on the escapees, Bakelants attacked off the front with 2.5km remaining, and one kilometre later he still led alone. As the rounded the final bends, the peloton were breathing down on the 27-year-old like hounds hunting a fox. But the Belgian refused to give in, ploughing on alone as the gap to him grew ever smaller, and astonishingly as the finish line arrived, he found himself a single second in front – enough not only to win the stage but to move into the overall lead too.