Gallery: Geraint Thomas seizes control of yellow in week two of the Tour

Alaphilippe, Sky, Sagan and Astana the winners during week two of the 2018 Tour de France

Philippe Tremblay July 23, 2018

After the first rest day the Tour transitioned into the mountains. Photo: Sirotti

The Team Sky train was front and center leading the peloton with overwhelming strength. Photo: Sirotti

Greg Van Avermaet rode in the break away on Stage 10 to preserve his hold on the yellow jersey for one more day. Photo: Sirotti

Julian Alaphilippe took his first Tour victory. Photo: Sirotti

The first mountain top finish was dominated by Sky who controlled the day and released Geraint Thomas for a yellow jersey seizing attack at La Rosiere. Photo: Sirotti

Behind, Dumoulin pipped Froome at the line for second. Photo: Sirotti

The leaders on the 2018 climb of Alpe d'Huez. Photo: Sirotti

Steven Kruijswijk animated the stage to Alpe d'Huez with a long range attack. Photo: Sirotti

Nibali saw his Tour go up in smoke when he clipped the camera strap of a fan. Photo: Sirotti

Thomas made his as the first yellow jersey wearer to win on the famed ascent. Photo: Sirotti

The three consecutive mountain stages say many big name sprinters abandon. Sagan would benefit winning Stage 13. Photo: Sirotti

A big breakaway rode away on Stage 14 and Omar Fraile was the strongest escaping to win solo. Photo: Sirotti

Sky wonder kid Egan Bernal accompanying the yellow jersey. Photo: Sirotti

Magnus Cort made it two in a row from the breakaway for Astana on Stage 15. Photo: Sirotti

The second week of the 2018 Tour de France began with a trio of mountain stages. Julian Alaphilippe rode the breakaway to the polka dots jersey and his first career stage victory on Stage 10. Team Sky then set up Geraint Thomas to take the stage and the yellow on Stage 13 to La Rosiere. On Alpe d’Huez, the Welshman took his second consecutive mountain stage win and a historic victory on one of the Tour’s most famous climbs. Sagan took his third stage victory, sealing up the green jersey competition before Astana successfully infiltrated two large breakaways in a row on the way to consecutive stage wins to end the week.

Heading into the final week of the Tour, the Pyrenees await and the highly anticipated 65-km mountain stage on Wednesday. Sky have a stranglehold on the overall classification with Thomas sitting first, 1:39 ahead of four-time champion Chir Froome. Tom Dumoulin sits third at 1:50 from Thomas.