SHEFFIELD, England — Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali displayed his riding smarts at the Tour de France, winning Stage 2 on Sunday and taking the yellow jersey after a well-choreographed attack on rivals in the postindustrial English city known for “The Full Monty.”
The Astana team leader nicknamed “The Shark” for his road savvy took the final lead in a cycling dance of sorts with other title hopefuls, who took turns in front in the last stretch through a sea of fans from York to Sheffield.
Nibali perhaps had more at stake: The 29-year-old rider has won the Italian Giro and Spain’s Vuelta, but has never captured cycling’s showcase event.
The victory on Sunday gave him both his first Tour stage win and yellow jersey, and sent a message that he could contend to take it home from Paris in three weeks.
With about a mile left, Nibali escaped a 21-man breakaway bunch at the end of the 125-mile course over nine heath-covered hills of Yorkshire, and held off their late surge. England is hosting the first three Tour stages this year.
Marcel Kittel, a powerful German sprinter who often struggles on climbs, trailed nearly 20 minutes back and lost the yellow jersey that he had captured by winning Stage 1.
While the Italian won the battle to the line, under the shadow of a black Sheffield Forgemasters tower, defending champion Chris Froome of Britain and two-time winner Alberto Contador of Spain are focusing more on the overall race — which ends July 27 on Paris’ Champs-Elysees.
Overall, Nibali leads 20 other riders by two seconds, including Froome in fifth place and Contador in eighth.
“I’m tired, but I hope everyone’s tired after a day like today,” Froome said.