Italy's Vincenzo Nibali crosses the finish line to win the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race, Sunday, July 6, 2014.Peter Dejong/The Associated Press
Italy's Vincenzo Nibali has won the second stage of the Tour de France and wrested the race leader's yellow jersey as several race favourites led a late breakaway.
The Astana rider led the bunch at the end of Sunday's 201-kilometre (125-mile) ride over nine rolling hills and through the heath of Yorkshire, England.
Marcel Kittel, a powerful sprinter who often struggles in climbs, trailed far behind and lost the yellow jersey that he had captured by winning Stage 1.
Massive crowds lined the route from York to Sheffield. One of the British stars in the race, Mark Cavendish, dropped out before Stage 2 amid pain from a separated right shoulder sustained in a crash Saturday.
England is hosting the first three stages of the three-week race before it enters France.