The rain came down hard in Dusseldorf and it was Geraint Thomas who seized the opportunity for an upset. The Welshman flew round yesterday's course to take the first yellow jersey of the race whilst stage favourite Tony Martin could only manage fourth. Today attention turns to the sprinters.
Stage 2 sees riders leave Germany for a finish in the famous cycling city of Liège. There's plenty of hills in the area but organisers have chosen to avoid anything difficult. I can't see any outcome other than a bunch sprint.
Marcel Kittel starts stage favourite and it's difficult to oppose him. The German gave punters their money's worth yesterday when finishing ninth in the time trial and he'll be back in his preferred environment today.
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Kittel's clearly in form and is going to take some stopping. Unfortunately the bookmakers agree - you'll find himeven money at best.
The run-in to the stage finish isn't too difficult but there's a still a chance for some drama. Kittel is capable of getting caught out and this year's Tour is packed with sprint talent.
Arnaud Demare has developed into a brilliant sprinter and starts a clear second favourite for tomorrow's stage. He seems to be closing the gap to Kittel and I expect him to mount more of a challenge than he did at last year's Giro d'Italia.
World Champion Peter Sagan also enters calculations. His Grand Tour record is ridiculous and he's never far away from the top three. He's a standout 9/1 at Coral and was sprinting well at last month's Tour de Suisse.
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The only other contenders are Dylan Groenewegen, Andre Greipel and Mark Cavendish - I can't see anybody else having the speed to compete. Greipel and Cavendish have experience on their side but are a little short on form.
Groenewegen will be hoping his excellent season continues but a crash yesterday - plus a very competitive field - makes me want to watch him for now. He can be taken at 15/2 to land the biggest win of his career.
The Verdict
Kittel wins, Demare second and Sagan third. I'll be on Demare EW and the Frenchman can be found at 5/1 if you look around.
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Words by @justprocycling
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