Peter Sagan
Sagan will wear the yellow jersey for the first time after a pulsating second stage. Getty Images

World road race champion Peter Sagan outlasted the peloton to take the yellow jersey after stage two of the Tour de France amid a decisive day in the general classification. The Slovakian produced a fine sprint up at Cherbourg-en-Cotentin to win the stage but both Alberto Contador and Richie Porte are seemingly already out of contention.

Spaniard Contador crashed for the second time in as many days to lose a further 48 seconds while Porte, nearly two minutes adrift, suffered a late puncture meaning both riders face an uphill battle to contest for overall victory.

More about Tour de France 2016

Julian Alaphilippe and Alejandro Valverde trail Sagan by eight and 10 seconds respectively while reigning champion Chris Froome is among a clutch of riders 14 seconds back. Mark Cavendish began the day as the race leader but never figured in the final surge for the line, with his focus now firmly on the green jersey awarded to the best sprinter.

"I am very surprised that I won because I thought at the front there were two guys," Sagan said. "And then I finish first and I didn't know and everyone is talking about how I won. I am very happy and the team today did a big job and some good work. It is very nice [the yellow jersey] it is the first time in my career. I wear a nice jersey but yellow first time is also something special."