A sole structure for an article of footwear comprising: a first plate and a second plate ; wherein the first plate overlies at least a portion of a forefoot region of the second plate ; a connector feature connecting the first plate to the second plate and preventing relative movement between the first plate and the second plate at the connector feature; wherein: a first one of the first plate and the second plate have an abutment spaced longitudinally apart from the connector feature; a second one of the first plate and the second plate has a confronting surface; the abutment and the confronting surface are spaced apart from one another by a gap when the sole structure is in an unflexed, relaxed state; dorsiflexion of the sole structure causes longitudinal displacement of the first plate relative to the second plate at the gap until the first plate operatively engages with the second plate by the confronting surface contacting the abutment, such that the first plate flexes free of compressive loading by the second plate when a forefoot portion of the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a first portion of a flexion range (FR1), and is operatively engaged with and under compressive loading by the second plate when the forefoot portion of the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a second portion of the flexion range (FR2) that includes flex angles greater than in the first portion of the flexion range (FR1). a first plate and a second plate ; wherein the first plate overlies at least a portion of a forefoot region of the second plate ; a connector feature connecting the first plate to the second plate and preventing relative movement between the first plate and the second plate at the connector feature; wherein: a first one of the first plate and the second plate have an abutment spaced longitudinally apart from the connector feature; a second one of the first plate and the second plate has a confronting surface; the abutment and the confronting surface are spaced apart from one another by a gap when the sole structure is in an unflexed, relaxed state; dorsiflexion of the sole structure causes longitudinal displacement of the first plate relative to the second plate at the gap until the first plate operatively engages with the second plate by the confronting surface contacting the abutment, such that the first plate flexes free of compressive loading by the second plate when a forefoot portion of the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a first portion of a flexion range (FR1), and is operatively engaged with and under compressive loading by the second plate when the forefoot portion of the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a second portion of the flexion range (FR2) that includes flex angles greater than in the first portion of the flexion range (FR1). a first one of the first plate and the second plate have an abutment spaced longitudinally apart from the connector feature; a second one of the first plate and the second plate has a confronting surface; the abutment and the confronting surface are spaced apart from one another by a gap when the sole structure is in an unflexed, relaxed state; dorsiflexion of the sole structure causes longitudinal displacement of the first plate relative to the second plate at the gap until the first plate operatively engages with the second plate by the confronting surface contacting the abutment, such that the first plate flexes free of compressive loading by the second plate when a forefoot portion of the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a first portion of a flexion range (FR1), and is operatively engaged with and under compressive loading by the second plate when the forefoot portion of the sole structure is dorsiflexed in a second portion of the flexion range (FR2) that includes flex angles greater than in the first portion of the flexion range (FR1). <EOS>