Favorites stage 2 2025 AlUla Tour | Can Pidcock keep white jersey Van den Broek at bay?
Cycling
On day two of the 2025 edition, the AlUla Tour takes a new direction, offering a better balance between sprinters and punchers. In this article, IDLProCycling.com previews what the new climb to Bir Jaydah Mountain Wikrah could mean for the Saudi race.
Course stage 2 2025 AlUla Tour
Day two features a new finish for the AlUla Tour: Mountain Wikrah. After departing from AlUla, the riders will reach a circuit after just over 70 kilometers, where this climb will take center stage. Measuring 2.8 kilometers in length with an average gradient of 9.4%, it’s tailor-made for the punchers who’ve traveled to Saudi Arabia.
The stats, however, don’t tell the full story. After a relatively mild start, the final 1.6 kilometers of the Bir Jaydah climb ramp up to a brutal 12.1% average gradient — reminiscent of the steep, punchy finishes in the Flèche Wallonne!
Times
Start: 12:25 AM local time (4:25 AM EST)
Finish: 4:16 PM local time (8:16 AM EST)
Weather stage 2 2025 AlUla Tour
While the wind is expected to be mild from the north, this is still the desert, and riders need to remain vigilant. Temperatures will hover around 20°C with plenty of sunshine.
Favorites stage 2 2025 AlUla Tour
One man stands out as the clear favorite for this stage, and he knows it: Tom Pidcock. Representing Q36.5, Pidcock started the AlUla Tour with the goal of winning the GC, and a strong result in stage two could take him a big step closer to achieving that goal. The Brit excels on steep gradients, and he’ll want to prove that on Wednesday.
The major WorldTour teams will need to step up to challenge him. Riders like Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla), Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates — though he crashed on Tuesday), and Frank van den Broek (Picnic PostNL — currently wearing the white jersey after grabbing bonuses in stage one) could either compete with Pidcock or fight for podium spots. Bahrain Victorious will pin their hopes on Max van der Meulen and Rainer Kepplinger.
Other riders who could thrive on the climb include Yannis Voisard (Tudor), Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies), Thomas Presenti (Soudal Quick-Step), Fredrik Dversnes, and Johannes Kulset (Uno-X). For them, this is also an opportunity to deliver a strong early-season result. If a long breakaway manages to succeed, Jonas Abrahamsen or Mikkel Bjerg could make a splash.
Favorites stage 2 2025 AlUla Tour, according to IDLProCycling.com
Top favorite: Tom Pidcock (Q36.5)
Outsiders: Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla), Rafal Majka (UAE-Team Emirates) and Frank van den Broek (Picnic PostNL)
Long shots: Yannis Voisard (Tudor), Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies), Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain Victorious), Fredrik Dversnes, Jonas Abrahamsen and Johannes Kulset (Uno-X)
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Latest Comments
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025 - If she thinks talent alone will put her there she will not see many podium finishes much less a GC finish.....work as a team utilizing tactics to consistently be at the top.Germanrazor10-01-2025
- This was very informative! Luiz Antonio Duarte Ferreiraluizantonioduarteferreira02-01-2025
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024