Stage 2 of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes looked tailor-made for the breakaway on paper, and that proved to be exactly how the day unfolded. From the very start, the racing was aggressive, with Henri-François Haquin representing Team Picnic PostNL in an early move of five riders. Just behind them, another group of five set off in pursuit, before the two groups eventually merged at the front of the race. The newly formed ten-rider breakaway quickly built up a substantial advantage of around six minutes over the peloton. As the stage progressed, rain began to fall, making the roads increasingly slippery. In difficult conditions, Haquin was involved in a crash and was immediately checked by the race doctor. Undeterred, the young Frenchman showed great resilience and determination, fighting his way back to the front group after getting back on his bike. The attacks continued on the day’s final climbs, with several riders attempting to break clear from the escape. Each time, Haquin managed to respond and regain contact, keeping himself firmly in contention for a result. With 12 kilometres remaining, Charmig launched a decisive attack from the breakaway. The Dane quickly opened a gap and ultimately rode solo to victory.
Behind, Team Picnic PostNL continued to animate the race. On the final short climb of the day, Gijs Leemreize and Robbe Dhondt both tried to attack from the peloton, but their efforts were quickly neutralised by the chasing bunch. Back at the front, four riders were left to battle for the remaining podium positions. After spending the entire day on the attack, overcoming a crash and repeatedly responding to accelerations, Haquin still had enough left in the tank to produce the fastest sprint of the chasing group. Crossing the line in second place, he secured a fantastic result and capped off a memorable day for Team Picnic PostNL.
After the stage, Haquin reflected: “It was a pretty crazy day. I was involved in a crash halfway through the stage. The rider in front of me had to brake very hard, so I couldn’t do anything to avoid it and went down. It wasn’t a high-speed crash, but I landed quite heavily on my right side. I got back on the bike quickly and was well guided by the coach in the team car. I actually surprised myself afterwards, because the breakaway was full of strong riders, and I was able to follow them on the climbs. Unfortunately, in the end I couldn’t follow Charmig’s attack. If I had a bit more experience, I might have managed my efforts better, because I really felt I had the legs to win. So at first I was a bit disappointed with my second place, but there are also a lot of positives to take from this. I know what I’m capable of, and I’m really grateful to the team for giving me the opportunity.”