Report: Tour de France – Stage 16

Chaos in the crosswinds on stage 16 as Michael Matthews scores a perfect day whilst Dan Martin loses time on the wrong side of a split

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Report: Tour de France – Stage 16

Michael Matthews makes it two stages

Australia’s Michael Matthews claimed his second stage win and the third one for Sunweb after his team pulled the bunch along almost all day to keep Marcel Kittel behind. Crosswinds made it a spectacular finale in the Rhône valley with a small group including Chris Froome and most of the GC contenders except for Dan Martin and Alberto Contador in contention for the stage victory. Edvald Boasson Hagen was second with Degenkolb third.

174 riders started stage 16 in Le Puy-en-Velay. Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) was a non-starter due to illness. Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie), Thomas Degand (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) were the most active riders in the first hour of racing.

At the côte de Boussoulet (km 20.5), they were in the lead with Daryl Impey (Orica-Scott) and Nicolas Edet (Cofidis). All the skirmishes to get away made the race too hard for Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) and many other riders, so Sunweb put the hammer down for their rider Michael Matthews. George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo), 12th on GC, abandoned the Tour de France due to illness.

After Matthews had scored a win in the intermediate sprint, his team kept control with help from Steve Cummings working for Edvald Boasson Hagen. But then it was just a matter of time before the road would turn a corner and give the teams the opportunity to create chaos in the cross winds. It was Sky who moved to the front, along with BMC, who could sense that moment was close and sure enough, the race was soon in peices.

Most of the GC contenders made it into the front group but Dan Martin, with only Jack Bauer for help, was on the wrong side of the split with the front group reduced to 28 riders. Among the top ranked riders overall who missed it was also Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) and Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates).

The pace at the front never slowed as the sprint approached and with 2km to go, Daniele Bennati (Movistar) tried his luck at a lone attack but he had to surrender 600 metres before the line.

In a tight finish, Michael Matthews (Sunweb) outsprinted the fast finishing Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) who missed out on the victory for the second time in a photo finish. Chris Froome (Sky) retained the lead while Martin dropped from fifth to seventh overall.

Michael Matthews: “It doesn’t feel real. We had a goal this morning, it was to try and get the intermediate sprint. Whether it was from the breakaway or trying to somehow distance Kittel, we definitely didn’t plan that it would work out like this. On his day, Kittel can climb well. Today he must have been a little bit off on the first climb. I could take advantage of that.”

“I was hoping to still have some good legs left for the final. I still had full support from three guys. When you have a team riding for you all day and you’re sitting out of the wind, what more can you ask for? The spirit in the team is amazing. We’re willing to do everything to each other to get a win. Nikias Arndt told me it gives him tingles to know what I achieved and he’s a winner himself”.

“Warren Barguil is fighting for the polka dot jersey and he’s also the guy who was closing on Daniele Bennati in the finale and I didn’t even ask him to do it. I’ll try to get more points everywhere, knowing that Marcel Kittel will probably beat me in the flat finishes. We have a very different game plan and we’ll see at the end which one works out the best.”

Edvald Boasson Hagen: “This was a really hard stage. The team did very well to keep me at the front all day. Everybody did such a great job. Unfortunately, in the last corner, I was a bit too far down. I knew I had to be at the front at that point but sometimes these things happen. I was probably the fasted rider on the last stretch and I almost made it. It’s a shame. This was a good chance for me”.

John Degenkolb: “Matthews did not hold his line in the sprint, and that cost me the chance for victory today,” stated Degenkolb. “I was on his wheel, in the perfect position to launch the sprint at 200 meters, and I started the sprint. I clearly came with more speed from his wheel, and he saw me on the right side and closed the gap on the right side. It made me stop the sprint – stop sprinting for the victory.

“I felt like I had the legs to win today. It was very clear he went off his line into my line. In the heat of the situation, you are immediately angry if the chance for a win has been taken away when you know you have the legs to overtake him. It’s very disappointing.”

Simon Yates: “I’m really happy. The team did a really good job. I was never out of position. Jens Keukeleire did a fantastic job there. When the real split has been made in the wind, we were among the first guys. I can’t complain. It was a perfect day for me. I barely had to do anything. I had good legs again today. It’s gonna be hard tomorrow.”

Greg Van Avermaet: “It was a really hard stage all day long. I’m happy with how we rode. I think everyone was always in the front and we were never surprised which is how you have to be in these kinds of races. So I’m really proud of the team. Ok, we didn’t win but I think the most important thing is that you do everything right and then the result will also be pretty nice. I think it was a pretty hectic final. I didn’t know the corners very well. You can look in the book but I was a bit surprised that it was such a hard corner and I had to brake a little bit harder than expected. I think with the head wind it was really hard but I tried.”

Damiano Caruso: “Yesterday I talked with the directors and they said that tomorrow there is going to be wind. So I thought that maybe it would be possible that there would be gaps in the last 20km. This is what happened. It was a good day for us. We’re still missing a victory but it is good that we improved our position on GC.”

Louis Meintjes said: “I’m disappointed of course. I don’t know if we will change the tactics over the next days. We have to wait and see starting tomorrow, but I don’t think I’m the only guy to lose time today. Maybe it changes things a little, but that is racing.”

Brian Holm (Quick Step team director) : “First I have to hear how Dan lost the wheel, if it was because of the crash or what. But I was more sorry for him when he crashed in Chambery because he lost crucial time on the other favorites. Of course it would have been easier with Philippe Gilbert and Matteo Trentin. But when riders crash or are sick, there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s cycling. Our master plan just didn’t work today. In the mountain stages to come, we’ll be hoping for no crosswinds and then diamond legs for Dan. We still won five stages, we’re still happy about it.”

Warren Barguil (KoM leader): “It’s a wonderful moment for Team Sunweb. If we keep the momentum till the Champs-Elysées, we can get both jerseys [green and polka dot]. Tomorrow as a team we still have some work to do for Michael Matthews until the intermediate sprint, then it’ll be up to me at la Croix de Fer. I will break away for the KOM points. I don’t want anyone to come back close to me in the KOM ranking like it’s happening to Marcel Kittel in the points competition. I don’t want to ask for too much but if I have the same feelings tomorrow as I’ve had in the past few days, I can target a second stage victory like Michael.”

Marcel Kittel: “I can’t say I’m happy losing all those points but there was nothing more we could do today. Since the beginning, I tried to come across. It is what it is. We’ll continue to fight for the green jersey. The chance for me to win it in Paris is still there.”

… continued after advert

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Stage 16
1 MATTHEWS Michael TEAM SUNWEB 03h 38′ 15″
2 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ st
3 DEGENKOLB John TREK – SEGAFREDO @ st
4 VAN AVERMAET Greg BMC RACING TEAM @ st
5 LAPORTE Christophe COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ st
6 KEUKELEIRE Jens ORICA – SCOTT @ st
7 GALLOPIN Tony LOTTO SOUDAL @ st
8 BENOOT Tiesj LOTTO SOUDAL @ st
9 BODNAR Maciej BORA – HANSGROHE @ st
10 HARDY Romain TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ st
11 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ st
12 URAN Rigoberto CANNONDALE DRAPAC  @ st
13 FROOME Christopher TEAM SKY @ st
14 YATES Simon ORICA – SCOTT @ st
15 LANDA Mikel TEAM SKY @ st
16 BARDET Romain AG2R LA MONDIALE @ st
17 CARUSO Damiano BMC RACING TEAM @ st
18 ARU Fabio ASTANA PRO TEAM @ st
19 QUINTANA Nairo MOVISTAR TEAM @ st
20 ERVITI Imanol MOVISTAR TEAM @ st
21 BARGUIL WARREN TEAM SUNWEB @ st
22 KÜNG Stefan BMC RACING TEAM @ st
23 NAESEN Oliver AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 00′ 15”
24 ROCHE Nicolas BMC RACING TEAM @ 00′ 17”
25 SCHÄR Michael BMC RACING TEAM @ 00′ 17”
26 ARNDT Nikias TEAM SUNWEB @ 00′ 22”
27 THWAITES Scott TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ 00′ 23”
28 BENNATI Daniele MOVISTAR TEAM @ 00′ 28”
29 MEINTJES Louis UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 00′ 51”
30 LATOUR Pierre-Roger AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 00′ 51”
31 MARTIN Daniel QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 00′ 51”
32 IMPEY Daryl ORICA – SCOTT @ 00′ 51”
33 BUCHMANN Emanuel BORA – HANSGROHE @ 00′ 51”
34 VUILLERMOZ Alexis AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 00′ 51”
35 HENAO Sergio Luis TEAM SKY @ 00′ 51”
36 MARTIN Guillaume WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 00′ 51”
37 CHAVANEL Sylvain DIRECT ENERGIE @ 00′ 51”
38 VAN BAARLE Dylan CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 00′ 51”
39 MC CARTHY Jay BORA – HANSGROHE @ 00′ 51”
40 MOINARD Amaël BMC RACING TEAM @ 00′ 51”
41 PERICHON Pierre-Luc TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 00′ 51”
42 KRISTOFF Alexander TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 00′ 53”
43 GREIPEL André LOTTO SOUDAL @ 01′ 25”
44 FEILLU Brice TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 01′ 33”
45 ARASHIRO Yukiya BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 01′ 33”
46 CONTADOR Alberto TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 01′ 33”
47 SÜTTERLIN Jasha MOVISTAR TEAM @ 01′ 33”
48 PAUWELS Serge TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ 01′ 33”
49 PETIT Adrien DIRECT ENERGIE @ 01′ 33”
50 ULISSI Diego UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 01′ 33”
51 BRAMBILLA Gianluca QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 01′ 33”
52 KISERLOVSKI Robert TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 01′ 33”
53 NIEVE Mikel TEAM SKY @ 01′ 33”
54 BETANCUR Carlos Alberto MOVISTAR TEAM @ 01′ 33”
55 AMADOR Andrey MOVISTAR TEAM @ 01′ 33”
56 SWIFT Ben UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 01′ 33”
57 DURASEK Kristijan UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 01′ 33”
58 KREUZIGER Roman ORICA – SCOTT @ 01′ 33”
59 BONO Matteo UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 01′ 33”
60 MOLARD Rudy FDJ @ 01′ 33”
61 CHAVES Johan Esteban ORICA – SCOTT @ 01′ 33”
62 EISEL Bernhard TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ 01′ 33”
63 GESBERT Elie TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 01′ 33”
64 BAKELANTS Jan AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 01′ 33”
65 FRANK Mathias AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 01′ 40”
66 POLJANSKI Pawel BORA – HANSGROHE @ 01′ 43”
67 BOUHANNI Nacer COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 01′ 43”
68 MOLLEMA Bauke TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 01′ 43”
69 GRIVKO Andriy ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 01′ 58”
70 MARCATO Marco UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 02′ 06”
71 CALMEJANE Lilian DIRECT ENERGIE @ 02′ 09”
72 KNEES Christian TEAM SKY @ 02′ 14”
73 COLBRELLI Sonny BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 02′ 32”
74 KIRYIENKA Vasili TEAM SKY @ 02′ 39”
75 BAUER Jack QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 02′ 44”
76 DE KORT Koen TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 02′ 51”
77 SINKELDAM Ramon TEAM SUNWEB @ 02′ 51”
78 BROWN Nathan CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 02′ 51”
79 BOUET Maxime TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 02′ 51”
80 MARTENS Paul TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 02′ 51”
81 BRAJKOVIC Janez BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 02′ 51”
82 ZUBELDIA Haimar TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 02′ 51”
83 GASTAUER Ben AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 02′ 51”
84 MINNAARD Marco WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 02′ 51”
85 ATAPUMA John Darwin UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 02′ 51”
86 ROLLAND Pierre CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 02′ 51”
87 GRMAY Tsgabu Gebremaryam BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 02′ 51”
88 GRUZDEV Dmitriy ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 03′ 35”
89 GENE Yohann DIRECT ENERGIE @ 04′ 24”
90 MACHADO Tiago TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 04′ 54”
91 VALGREN ANDERSEN Michael ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 04′ 54”
92 DE GENDT Thomas LOTTO SOUDAL @ 04′ 54”
93 QUEMENEUR Perrig DIRECT ENERGIE @ 04′ 54”
94 DEGAND Thomas WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 04′ 54”
95 VOECKLER Thomas DIRECT ENERGIE @ 04′ 54”
96 GESCHKE Simon TEAM SUNWEB @ 04′ 54”
97 BOUDAT Thomas DIRECT ENERGIE @ 04′ 54”
98 SICARD Romain DIRECT ENERGIE @ 05′ 05”
99 CASTROVIEJO Jonathan MOVISTAR TEAM @ 05′ 05”
100 CIMOLAI Davide FDJ @ 05′ 05”
101 POLITT Nils TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 05′ 05”
102 HERRADA Jesús MOVISTAR TEAM @ 05′ 05”
103 KWIATKOWSKI Michal TEAM SKY @ 05′ 05”
104 LEMOINE Cyril COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 05′ 19”
105 DE MARCHI Alessandro BMC RACING TEAM @ 05′ 45”
106 TEUNISSEN Mike TEAM SUNWEB @ 06′ 19”
107 CURVERS Roy TEAM SUNWEB @ 06′ 19”
108 ZEITS Andrey ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 06′ 19”
109 ALBASINI Michael ORICA – SCOTT @ 06′ 19”
110 PINOT Thibaut FDJ @ 06′ 19”
111 DOMONT Axel AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 06′ 19”
112 BEVIN Patrick CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 06′ 19”
113 SEPULVEDA Eduardo TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 06′ 19”
114 NAVARRO Daniel COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 06′ 19”
115 LUTSENKO Alexey ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 06′ 45”
116 TALANSKY Andrew CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 07′ 02”
117 KOZHATAYEV Bakhtiyar ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 07′ 38”
118 MORENO BAZAN Javier BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 09′ 09”
119 HOWSON Damien ORICA – SCOTT @ 09′ 09”
120 TIMMER Albert TEAM SUNWEB @ 09′ 59”
121 TEN DAM Laurens TEAM SUNWEB @ 09′ 59”
122 PANTANO Jarlinson TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 09′ 59”
123 CUMMINGS Stephen TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ 09′ 59”
124 BAK Lars Ytting LOTTO SOUDAL @ 16′ 19”
125 SABATINI Fabio QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 16′ 19”
126 VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 16′ 19”
127 SIEBERG Marcel LOTTO SOUDAL @ 16′ 19”
128 HANSEN Adam LOTTO SOUDAL @ 16′ 19”
129 ROWE Luke TEAM SKY @ 16′ 19”
130 BURGHARDT Marcus BORA – HANSGROHE @ 16′ 19”
131 LAMMERTINK Maurits TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 16′ 19”
132 IRIZAR Markel TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 16′ 19”
133 HAYMAN Mathew ORICA – SCOTT @ 16′ 19”
134 VERMOTE Julien QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 16′ 19”
135 HALLER Marco TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 16′ 19”
136 KITTEL Marcel QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 16′ 19”
137 VACHON Florian TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 16′ 19”
138 CLARKE Simon CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 16′ 19”
139 WYSS Danilo BMC RACING TEAM @ 16′ 19”
140 HOLLENSTEIN Reto TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 16′ 19”
141 BOZIC Borut BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 16′ 19”
142 GAUTIER Cyril AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 16′ 19”
143 SELIG Rüdiger BORA – HANSGROHE @ 16′ 19”
144 ROOSEN Timo TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 16′ 19”
145 PASQUALON Andrea WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 16′ 19”
146 GOGL Michael TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 16′ 19”
147 LAENGEN Vegard Stake UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 16′ 19”
148 VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 16′ 19”
149 BACKAERT Frederik WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 16′ 19”
150 SIMON Julien COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 16′ 19”
151 EDET Nicolas COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 16′ 19”
152 LE GAC Olivier FDJ @ 16′ 19”
153 MARTIN Tony TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 16′ 19”
154 CLAEYS Dimitri COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 16′ 19”
155 TULIK ANGÉLO DIRECT ENERGIE @ 16′ 19”
156 ROELANDTS Jurgen LOTTO SOUDAL @ 16′ 19”
157 SENECHAL Florian COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 16′ 19”
158 BOLE Grega BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 16′ 19”
159 SMITH Dion WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 16′ 19”
160 STYBAR Zdenek QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 16′ 19”
161 CINK Ondrej BAHRAIN – MERIDA @ 16′ 19”
162 ZABEL Rick TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN @ 16′ 19”
163 BETTIOL Alberto CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 16′ 19”
164 GROENEWEGEN Dylan TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 16′ 19”
165 ROGLIC Primoz TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 16′ 19”
166 LEEZER Tom TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 16′ 19”
167 VENTER Jacobus TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ 16′ 19”
168 WAGNER Robert TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 16′ 19”
169 PHINNEY Taylor CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 16′ 19”
170 OFFREDO Yoann WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 16′ 19”
171 MATE MARDONES Luis Angel COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 26′ 17”
172 PICHON Laurent TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 26′ 17”
173 MC LAY DANIEL TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 26′ 17”

Overall
1 FROOME Christopher TEAM SKY 68h 18′ 36”
2 ARU Fabio ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 00′ 18”
3 BARDET Romain AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 00′ 23”
4 URAN Rigoberto CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM @ 00′ 29”
5 LANDA Mikel TEAM SKY @ 01′ 17”
6 YATES Simon ORICA – SCOTT @ 02′ 02”
7 MARTIN Daniel QUICK – STEP FLOORS @ 02′ 03”
8 MEINTJES Louis UAE TEAM EMIRATES @ 06′ 00”
9 CARUSO Damiano BMC RACING TEAM @ 06′ 05”
10 QUINTANA Nairo MOVISTAR TEAM @ 06′ 16”
11 CONTADOR Alberto TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 07′ 10”
12 BARGUIL WARREN TEAM SUNWEB @ 08′ 48”
13 LATOUR Pierre-Roger AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 14′ 32”
14 VUILLERMOZ Alexis AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 15′ 45”
15 NIEVE Mikel TEAM SKY @ 16′ 25”
16 BUCHMANN Emanuel BORA – HANSGROHE @ 20′ 28”
17 BETANCUR Carlos Alberto MOVISTAR TEAM @ 23′ 50”
18 MARTIN Guillaume WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT @ 28′ 19”
19 FEILLU Brice TEAM FORTUNEO – OSCARO @ 28′ 41”
20 BENOOT Tiesj LOTTO SOUDAL @ 30′ 10”
21 PAUWELS Serge TEAM DIMENSION DATA @ 32′ 46”
22 HENAO Sergio Luis TEAM SKY @ 32′ 47”
23 MOLLEMA Bauke TREK – SEGAFREDO @ 36′ 33”
24 BAKELANTS Jan AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 40′ 52”
25 KREUZIGER Roman ORICA – SCOTT @ 42′ 18”

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