Tour de France: Stage 18 – Cavendish

World Road Champion Mark Cavendish has won the 18th stage of the Tour de France, denying Aussie Matt Goss his first win the race. Green jersey Peter Sagan was third.

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| Prologue | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 | Stage 7 | Stage 8 | Stage 9 | Stage 10 | Stage 11 | Stage 12 | Stage 13 | Stage 14 | Stage 15 | Stage 16 | Stage 17 |

Yellow Jersey: Bradley Wiggins | White jersey: Tejay van Garderen |
| KoM Jersey:   Thomas Voeckler  | Green Jersey: Peter Sagan | Team: Radioshack Nissan

Whilst the profile of the stage gave the impression the race may end in a sprint, anything can happen in the Tour de France but there was to be no fairy tale break staying away. Instead, the yellow jersey no less, Bradley Wiggins who started the lead-out before handing over to an early escapee – Edvald Boasson Hagen who dragged Mark Cavendish up to the last of the breakaways before the Manx missile strutted his stuff and won his 22nd stage win in the Tour de France.

Number 22 for Mark Cavendish - PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

Mark Cavendish, the undisputed fastest road sprinter in the world, showed again why he has that label. “It’s incredible” he said afterwards. “I’ve been desperate for a sprint as we haven’t had a lot for me to do this year. It was always going to be close at the end because there were a few guys still away but the team rode perfectly and Brad timed it so we’d catch them in the last kilometre and then Edvald went and gave me a slingshot and off I went. I had a lot to give.”

“We came here with the goal of winning the yellow jersey. We’ve got first and second on GC. We can’t ask for anything more than that. The spirits are high and to be part of the team that is going to win the Tour de France is a massive honour. It put my sprint chances on the back foot but…”

“Twenty-two stage wins… has it sunk in? Yeah! Because I’ve been waiting to do it for nearly three weeks now. I’m now equal with André Darrigade: he won 15 sprints but 22 stages of the Tour de France. So to match him is something; it makes me happy.”

PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

“Physically this race has been hard. I’ve been trying to do my work before the mountains arrived so at least I can say I’ve done something. And then I had Bernie [Eisel] to look after me and I’ve still got some good form.”

“Mentally it wasn’t hard because we have the yellow jersey and we have second on GC and the guys are doing incredibly well so I’m full of pride to be part of that. But I’m a sprinter and I had to find my place – it’s kind of like putting Wayne Rooney in defence, you know… I was kind of lost. But I’m so proud.”

“It could have been easy for the guys to cruise into Paris. Even this morning, on the bus, Sean Yates was like, ‘Okay boys, it’s an easy day today… let’s let the break go’. But I was like, ‘Oh please let me have a chance!’ Then Brad came up and said, ‘Look, we’re going to ride today. We’ll make a sprint.’ And we saw that.”

“He could have easily sat up at the end but Brad and Froomey just came up and I’m so grateful for what they did. We had Edvald in the break then he was leading me out… we’ve got a great group of guys.”

“It’s been an emotional three weeks but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

The yellow jersey Bradley Wiggins meanwhile said: “It was the plan today but we thought we might have to work harder for it. Fortunately all the other teams who didn’t have sprinters decided to ride today which was strange. But it worked into our favour and at the end the plan was always to hit the front with Mark at 3.5km to go.”

“It couldn’t have gone any better. There was a bit of a group off the front but he proved today who the fastest man in the world, as if there was any doubt! You saw how far he went, 600m from the finish, and left them for dead. It was fantastic to be a part of.”

“It’s been a great three weeks and I’ve always wanted to be able to do that for him. It’s the first time I’ve led him out for a Tour stage. It’s great.”

“Cav has waited a while for that and he’s been patient and I think he’s got his reward today and it showed the team commitment to him today. It’s been difficult the last couple of weeks; we’ve had to put his goals and aspirations aside really. No one likes that… he’s the world champion at the end of the day but it was nice that we could all do that for him today and give him another win – so it’s fantastic. ”

“He’s been the first to say, ‘Look guys, I think the GC is more important today, let’s not sacrifice it by trying to bring it back for a sprint. As I said the other day, he’s been a true champion and today we showed that we all wanted to repay him somehow. We’ve still got Sunday as well but today was fantastic.”

“He has certainly improved his climbing and if you look at all those contenders for the Olympic road race there aren’t many left really who you could say were in as good a shape as Mark… he certainly is the favourite. He’s the fastest man in the world – without doubt.”

Alexandre Vinokourov: “We tried all day to animate the stage. I lacked a bit, but I did everything I could and I have no regrets. We took advantage of the break, and the public of the Tour! I found that I’ve been able to come back with good condition, even if I do not play it out for the general classification anymore. Now there are still two days to try, and then I hope I can do something good in London, although we have only two representatives of Kazakhstan at the Olympics.”

Video Summary of the race

The Race

The 222 kilometre 18th stage of the 2012 Tour de France, from Blagnac to Brive-la-Gaillarde saw the race head north over four climbs: the cote de Saint-Georges (cat-3 at 67.5km), the cote de Cahors (cat-4 at 117.5km), the cote de Souillac (cat-4 at 180.5km) and the cote de Lissac-sur-Couze (cat-4 at 212.5km).

It was a fast start to the 18th stage and it took 21 kilometres for an escape group to finally stick after Astana’s Fofonov instigated a move and five others followed: Perez (EUS), Simon (SAU), Pineau (FDJ), Morkov (STB) and Sprick (ARG). Too many teams though wanted that stage win and their lead never got above 50 seconds and after only 40 kilometres, that break was over.

It took another 25 kilometres before another break finally went clear when a group of 16 riders escaped; Popovych (RNT), Arashiro (EUC), David Millar (GRS), Fouchard (COF), Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY), Adam Hansen (LTB), Vanendert (LTB), Boeckmans (VCD), Paolini (KAT), Roy (FDJ), Costa (MOV), Kroon (STB), former Tour of Britain winner Nick Nuyens (STB), Vinokourov (AST), another former Tour of Britain winner, Michael Albasini (OGE) and Gretsch (ARG).

Saur-Sojasun chased briefly but once the advantage of the escapees got to 2’30”, the French team conceded that it had missed the break today and Sky took over the pace setting duties. GC contender Brajkovic (AST) crashed around the same time but soon remounted and with the help of three team-mates, rejoined the bunch at 84km.

In the peloton, Sky were helped by the likes of BMC and AG2R who kept the lead of the break down before chaos in the peloton as a dog ran into the road, causing a big crash that saw the likes Gilbert (BMC), Menchov (KAT), Farrar (GRS) and Vichot (FDJ) all end up on the tarmac. It was pretty quiet in the race until the break got to within 25 miles (40k) of the finish and David Millar started the action.

After he was caught, Edvald Boasson Hagen put in a brief attack and then they settled down, minus a few riders, and as their lead started to tumble, riders got nervous and with 20km to go, Australian Adam Hansen attacked. He was first joined by Roy, then at 13km to go, Vinokourov, Nuyens and Paolini took up the race to the line at the front of the race.

Behind them, Nicholas Roche (ALM), Andreas Kloden (RNT) and Luis Sanchez (RAB) attacked the peloton after the final climb and joined the leading trio with 5.5km to go. There were several attack from the peloton by the likes of Oss and Gerrans but ultimately the bunch was led up to the escapees only inside the final kilometre.

Roche was the first to sprint sensing the sprinters were about to swamp them but he could do nothing to hold off an impressive charge by Cavendish (SKY) who received a perfect lead-out: first from Wiggins who peeled off after going under the ‘Flamme Rouge’ and then from Boasson Hagen.

Result

1 Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling 04:54:12
2 Matthew Goss Orica – GreenEDGE @ same time
3 Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
4 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
5 Nicolas Roche Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
6 Tyler Farrar Garmin – Sharp @ same time
7 Borut Bozic Astana Pro Team @ same time
8 S̩bastien Hinault Ag2R РLa Mondiale @ same time
9 Daryl Impey Orica – GreenEDGE @ same time
10 Samuel Dumoulin Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ same time
11 Andre Greipel Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
12 Juan Jose Haedo Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
13 Edvald Boasson Hagen Sky Procycling @ same time
14 Andr̩as Kl̦den RadioShack РNissan @ same time
15 Koen De Kort Argos-Shimano 00:04
16 Luca Paolini Katusha Team @ same time
17 Julien Simon Saur – Sojasun @ same time
18 Lars Ytting Bak Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
19 Bradley Wiggins Sky Procycling @ same time
20 Marco Marcato Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team @ same time
21 Jurgen Roelandts Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
22 Christopher Froome Sky Procycling @ same time
23 Adam Hansen Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
24 Maxime Monfort RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
25 Ruben Perez Moreno Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
26 Jurgen Van Den Broeck Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
27 Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
28 Alexandre Vinokourov Astana Pro Team @ same time
29 Danilo Hondo Lampre – ISD @ same time
30 Chris Horner RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
31 Nicki Sørensen Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
32 Baden Cooke Orica – GreenEDGE @ same time
33 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
34 Janez Brajkovic Astana Pro Team @ same time
35 Cadel Evans BMC Racing Team @ same time
36 Eduard Vorganov Katusha Team @ same time
37 Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
38 Egoi Martinez De Esteban Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
39 Christian Vande Velde Garmin – Sharp @ same time
40 Tejay Van Garderen BMC Racing Team @ same time
41 Pierre Rolland Europcar @ same time
42 Dominik Nerz Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
43 Thibaut Pinot Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
44 Marcel Sieberg Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
45 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa Movistar Team 00:12
46 Vladimir Karpets Movistar Team @ same time
47 Cyril Gautier Europcar @ same time
48 Maxim Iglinskiy Astana Pro Team @ same time
49 Johnny Hoogerland Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team 00:16
50 George Hincapie BMC Racing Team @ same time
51 Michele Scarponi Lampre – ISD @ same time
52 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo Movistar Team @ same time
53 Dries Devenyns Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
54 Chris Anker Sorensen Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
55 Fredrik Kessiakoff Astana Pro Team @ same time
56 Denis Menchov Katusha Team @ same time
57 Dmitriy Fofonov Astana Pro Team @ same time
58 Jean-christophe Peraud Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
59 Sandy Casar Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
60 Andriy Grivko Astana Pro Team @ same time
61 Daniel Martin Garmin – Sharp @ same time
62 Pierrick Fedrigo Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
63 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte Movistar Team @ same time
64 Philippe Gilbert BMC Racing Team @ same time
65 Marcus Burghardt BMC Racing Team @ same time
66 Ruben Plaza Molina Movistar Team @ same time
67 S̩bastien Minard Ag2R РLa Mondiale @ same time
68 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
69 Yuri Trofimov Katusha Team @ same time
70 Anders Lund Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
71 Romain Zingle Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ same time
72 J̩rome Coppel Saur РSojasun @ same time
73 Giampaolo Caruso Katusha Team @ same time
74 Steven Kruijswijk Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
75 Guillaume Levarlet Saur – Sojasun @ same time
76 Matthieu Sprick Argos-Shimano 00:33
77 Marco Marzano Lampre – ISD @ same time
78 Amaël Moinard BMC Racing Team @ same time
79 Michael Rogers Sky Procycling 00:41
80 Ivan Basso Liquigas – Cannondale 00:04
81 Maxime Bouet Ag2R – La Mondiale 00:43
82 Cyril Lemoine Saur – Sojasun 00:47
83 Jean-marc Marino Saur – Sojasun 01:04
84 Davide Malacarne Europcar 01:11
85 Simon Gerrans Orica – GreenEDGE 01:17
86 Vasil Kiryienka Movistar Team 01:29
87 Sylvester Szmyd Liquigas – Cannondale 01:31
88 Daniel Oss Liquigas – Cannondale 01:52
89 Kristjan Koren Liquigas – Cannondale 01:54
90 Rafael Valls Ferri Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team 02:07
91 Nicolas Edet Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ same time
92 Francis De Greef Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
93 Joan Horrach Rippoll Katusha Team @ same time
94 Aleksandr Kuschynski Katusha Team @ same time
95 David Zabriskie Garmin – Sharp @ same time
96 Mickael Cherel Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
97 Matthieu Ladagnous Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
98 Jorge Azanza Soto Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
99 Pieter Weening Orica – GreenEDGE @ same time
100 Thomas Voeckler Europcar 02:11
101 J̩r̩my Roy Equipe Cycliste FDJ РBigMat 02:25
102 Stuart O’ Grady Orica – GreenEDGE @ same time
103 Johan Vansummeren Garmin – Sharp 03:05
104 Luis Angel Mate Mardones Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ same time
105 Gregory Henderson Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
106 Jan Ghyselinck Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ same time
107 Nick Nuyens Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 03:57
108 Jonathan Cantwell Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
109 Rein Taaramäe Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ same time
110 Fabrice Jeandesboz Saur – Sojasun 04:10
111 Martin Velits Omega Pharma – Quickstep 04:42
112 Peter Velits Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
113 Jens Voigt RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
114 Roy Curvers Argos-Shimano @ same time
115 Yukiya Arashiro Europcar @ same time
116 Yohann Gène Europcar @ same time
117 Patrick Gretsch Argos-Shimano @ same time
118 Simone Stortoni Lampre – ISD @ same time
119 Manuel Quinziato BMC Racing Team @ same time
120 C̩dric Pineau Equipe Cycliste FDJ РBigMat @ same time
121 Yann Huguet Argos-Shimano @ same time
122 Laurens Ten Dam Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
123 Kris Boeckmans Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team @ same time
124 Albert Timmer Argos-Shimano @ same time
125 Karsten Kroon Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
126 Christophe Riblon Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
127 Yaroslav Popovych RadioShack – Nissan 05:00
128 Christian Knees Sky Procycling 05:55
129 Kevin De Weert Omega Pharma – Quickstep 07:50
130 Levi Leipheimer Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
131 J̩rome Pineau Omega Pharma РQuickstep @ same time
132 Jelle Vanendert Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
133 Julien Fouchard Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ same time
134 Michael Albasini Orica – GreenEDGE @ same time
135 Richie Porte Sky Procycling @ same time
136 Federico Canuti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
137 Andrey Kashechkin Astana Pro Team @ same time
138 Bert Grabsch Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
139 Bram Tankink Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
140 Steven Cummings BMC Racing Team @ same time
141 Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling 08:54
142 David Millar Garmin – Sharp @ same time
143 Blel Kadri Ag2R – La Mondiale @ same time
144 Alessandro Vanotti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
145 Jimmy Engoulvent Saur – Sojasun @ same time
146 Arthur Vichot Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
147 Anthony Roux Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
148 Brice Feillu Saur – Sojasun @ same time
149 Michael Morkov Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank @ same time
150 Pablo Urtasun Perez Euskaltel – Euskadi @ same time
151 Gorka Izagirre Insausti Euskaltel – Euskadi 11:55
152 Christophe Kern Europcar @ same time
153 Sebastian Langeveld Orica – GreenEDGE 12:32

Overall
1 Bradley Wiggins Sky Procycling 78:28:02
2 Christopher Froome Sky Procycling 02:05
3 Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas – Cannondale 02:41
4 Jurgen Van Den Broeck Lotto – Belisol Team 05:53
5 Tejay Van Garderen BMC Racing Team 08:30
6 Cadel Evans BMC Racing Team 09:57
7 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre RadioShack – Nissan 10:11
8 Pierre Rolland Europcar 10:17
9 Janez Brajkovic Astana Pro Team 11:00
10 Thibaut Pinot Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 11:46
11 Nicolas Roche Ag2R – La Mondiale 12:58
12 Andr̩as Kl̦den RadioShack РNissan 14:09
13 Chris Horner RadioShack – Nissan 14:22
14 Chris Anker Sorensen Team Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 18:34
15 Denis Menchov Katusha Team 22:42
16 Maxime Monfort RadioShack – Nissan 24:24
17 Egoi Martinez De Esteban Euskaltel – Euskadi 25:32
18 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa Movistar Team 29:43
19 Eduard Vorganov Katusha Team 33:07
20 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte Movistar Team 33:38

 

 

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