With a similar course to yesterday, Team Visma | Lease a Bike focused once again on Zingle. In his home country, the Frenchman won his first race on behalf of the Dutch team yesterday. On Thursday, he appeared at the start in Avesnes-sur-Helpe in the pink leader's jersey. Thanks to the yellow-black brigade, five attackers remained within reach all day and a sprint seemed inevitable again.

Per Strand Hagenes did some strong work at the front and brought Zingle into a perfect position heading into the finale of the second stage. Lewis Askey surprised the sprinters with an attack just before the final turn. Despite slipping his foot out of his pedal, the Brit held on. The pink leader's jersey will remain on Zingle's shoulders tomorrow, who crossed the finish line in fourth place. Hagenes is just behind him with the fifth place in the general classification.

“After that turn in the last kilometre, it was hard to pass Askey anymore”, Zingle said afterwards. "Maybe I was just a little too cautious. We knew it was going to be hard to win the stage if you weren't among the front three at the last turn. It is what it is. I'm happy that we're still in a good position in the general classification with the team."

The 26-year-old rider could once again count on a strong team today. "In the finale I lost the connection with the peloton somewhat. Per then brought me back to the peloton, even all the way to the front row. That was really very great." Tomorrow the riders will face cobbled sections in northern France. "I think tomorrow's stage suits us well as a team. We are here with a strong squad. I'm looking forward to it.”