The second of two Yorkshire stages scheduled for this year’s Grand Depart had raised excitement from the moment it was first announced.

A stage packed with short, sharp climbs – including the leg-sapping Jenkin Road, just a few kilometres from the finish – was always likely to be an important early form-finder.

And so it proved as both Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Chris Froome (Team Sky) put in short digs on the aforementioned final climb of the day.

The decisive attack came on the descent, however, as Nibali rubbished claims he was short of form by bursting away from the main field on the run-in to Sheffield.

Pre-stage favourite Peter Sagan (Cannondale) was among the riders left trailing in his wake, claiming later he did not chase down his former team-mate as an act of friendship.

In truth, however, nobody appeared capable of stopping the Shark, whose acceleration earned him a two-second advantage and the yellow jersey for the first time.