Tour de France – Stage 21

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On the cobbles of the Champs-Elysées, Marcel Kittell won for the second time in Paris whilst Vincenzo Nibali savoured a dominant performance that would have tested any rival wanting his Yellow jumper as overall victor

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Tour de France – Stage 21 | Photos: ASO – P.Ballet, X.Bourgois & B.Bade

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Tour de France – Stage 21
Vincenzo Nibali is the winner of the 101st Tour de France, a race he led for eighteen days out of twenty-one. The race also the return of French riders to the podium with Jean-Christophe Péraud and Thibaut Pinot finishing second and third respectively.

Meanwhile, the other battle Рfor the stage -, went to Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano) just like last year. The German outsprinted Alexander Kristoff in a spectacular final bunch kick on the Champs-Elys̩es.

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Pinot (Under 25), Nibali (Yellow), Sagan (Green) & Majka (KoM)

The traditional celebration of a two wheeled adventure
All the way from Evry to Paris, the 164 riders left in the peloton cruised at about 32km/h as ‘Maillot Jaune’ Vincenzo Nibali shared some Champagne with his team-mates from Astana.

Once the traditions of old were respected, Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling) was the first attacker as the race really started on the Champs-Elysées. Jens Voigt (Trek) was the next one and it look like a lap of honour for the soon-to-be retired rider at the age of 43.

The German veteran won the last intermediate sprint of his last Tour de France, after which a crash occurred in the peloton. Runner up Jean-Christophe Péraud (AG2R-La Mondiale) slipped on a bend and a got fright with 43km to go.

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With the help of three team-mates, he made his way back to the pack five kilometres further. Four riders took the lead with 36km to go: Richie Porte (Sky), Michael Morkov (Tinkoff), José Serpa (Lampre) and Armindo Fonseca (Bretagne).

Porte, Morkov and Serpa insisted as long as they could. Porte was the last member of this breakaway to be caught, with 7.5km to go. His compatriot Simon Clarke (Orica) was the last man to try to escape 5km before the end. But the inevitable bunch gallop saw the domination of Giant-Shimano in the lead out.

Marcel Kittel emerged as the winner of stage 21, adding one success to the three he took in the first week of the Tour. Seven stages out of twenty-one have been won by German riders. Peter Sagan crossed the line in ninth position, therefore beating his record of points in the race for the green jersey. The Slovakian champion won the points classification for the third time in a row.

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REACTIONS
Vincenzo Nibali: “These past few days, when I was asked which one was my best moment of the Tour, I anticipated that no feeling of happiness could be compared to what we feel on the podium at the Champs-Elysées. It’s even more beautiful than what I could imagine”.

“I want to dedicate this victory to my team and my family. Hadn’t I had my wife Rachele and my baby girl Emma on my side, hadn’t I grown up as a young cyclist with parents like mines, I’m not sure I would have made it to here. I have felt such a strong emotion very few times in my life. So I say thanks to the Tour, thanks to all the French people and thanks to everyone.”

“It’s very difficult to make a comparison between Pantani’s victory and my victory, because Marco won his in the last week, two days before the end,” the Sicilian said to the BBC. “For me it’s the contrary – I had the yellow jersey on my back after two days”.

“After winning the Vuelta, the Giro and the Tour, I’ll keep focusing on Grand Tours but I’d also like to crown it all with a world champion’s rainbow jersey one year.”

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Marcel Kittel: “My strategy was to start sprinting not too early. Alexander Kristoff passed me so he had more time to accelerate and gain some speed. That’s why I was a bit behind and I accelerated, accelerated… till the moment Kristoff could not accelerate anymore. I was not sure it would be enough to beat him.”

“I’m happy with how it went. This time, my lead out man Tom Veelers was able to accompany me till the end of the Tour in Paris without crashing before. We need him! In the preparation of the sprint, I thought he was gone but when I saw him passing me, I said to myself: now we’re unbeatable”.

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“I would like to say a big big thanks to my team. They were amazing again today and helped to make this win possible. It was an incredible job that we did and an amazing experience to win again here. I think you never see anything at another race that you can compare to this, it is something special.”

“Seven German stage wins is fabulous, maybe it will be a wake up call for the people at home. We have also had many great results like with John’s second places. I think as a team we did better than last year, we got four stages and a yellow jersey but we also got three second places and that is something that we have extra and I think we did a really good performance overall”.

“It means a lot to be able to win the amount of stages that we have won in the last two years. I think I have proved it in the last few weeks here in the Tour de France that you have to count on me in the sprints. Once again thanks to my team. It has been a great Tour and to finish it off again like this here in Paris is so special.”

Peter Sagan: “I’m very happy to be once again on the podium of the Tour de France for the third time in a row. I haven’t won a stage but I’m satisfied with the Green jersey. Every year is different. I’m happy with the form I had during this Tour. When I win, people say that I easily win but it’s not true. This Tour has reminded everyone that I don’t easily win bike races.”

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Jens Voigt (Trek, last Tour de France) “I felt it was almost an obligation to entertain the fans one last time, and give what they expect: me out in the break with the peloton chasing and I have zero chance – hey that’s the story of my life, the story of my career! It’s what made me famous. That is the way I knew I must say good-bye. I stayed out there long enough for the announcer to call up my 65 beautiful wins!”

How do I feel? I will not miss the pain, the stress, but I am going to miss interacting with the people, all the young kids, and of course the boys – I mean Danny van Poppel is half my age and it is just cool to hang out with him and see what the young generation is up to!

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Photo: PelotonPhotos.com

I am happy on one side that the suffering is over, the 100kmh downhills, the crazy fighting for positions, but 17 years is a big chapter of my life, more than a third of my life, and maybe tonight, or tomorrow, I will realize that I am never coming back. But since I am a positive person I won’t cry that it’s over, but will laugh because it has happened. And that is how I look at it.

Afterwards I was sitting alone by myself with my head down, helmet and glasses off, and just sitting there and letting it all sink in. Even the crowd was polite enough to be silent and let me be and give me some privacy. I needed this – it was a pretty special moment.”

Thibaut Pinot: (3rd overall) “The objective was the top 10, we knew the white jersey would come along as well. It’s the way I am, I love to attack, I love to have fun on the climbs. That’s bike riding the way I see it. I’m not surprised about my good result on the TT. Al year I rode good time trials.”

“There was no reason why I should miss out on the Tour de France podium. It’s wonderful. Now I’m going to enjoy it all with my family and the team. It’s the reward for everything I did since I started to ride. I’m a little bit in an awaken dream now.”

Tejay Van Garderen (5th overall) “We fought through so much and there were a lot of ups and downs,” the American said. “We never gave up – and there were so many opportunities when it could have been really easy to give up. But my result is secondary to the journey we took these last three weeks”.

“I am so happy for my guys and really proud of what we did. I am absolutely happy with my fifth place,” van Garderen said. “I have done four Tour de Frances and one Vuelta a España and this was by far the hardest course due to the terrain and the weather – by far,” van Garderen said.

Valverde (4TH): “This is sport: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. We fought for the podium until the very last day, which means that we rode super well and did everything we could. It happens many times that everything you work and sacrifice for doesn’t come to fruition.

This result is not a failure for me, at all: being 4th in the Tour, my best result… is not easy at all. It might seem like that, but there’s a load of work behind it. What’s really clear after this race is Nibali was really superior; Pinot, Péraud… we were pretty much close in strength to each other, only they were better in the final days.”

Rafal Majka (KoM) “I’m extremely happy and a bit surprised about my performance during this Tour. It’s my first Tour de France and I came here to support Alberto. But we’ve shown that even without our captain, we’re a very strong team. We had no plan B, but we created a new plan A – and we’re all very proud”, says Rafal Majka.

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“I was obviously tired after the Giro, so together with the sport directors we decided that I should take it slow for the first 10 days to build my shape. It has worked really well and I’ve been among the strongest riders in the second half of the race. To be standing here in Paris with the polka dots on my jersey is a dream come true. I want to continue improving and, in time, to aim for the overall win”.

“But this is a perfect place to start and I’ve proven to myself that I’m capable of competing in the Tour. I look forward to returning”.

Frank Schleck: “I said this morning in the meeting that during these three weeks of racing we hated every second, every minute, of the race while we were suffering; we hated to pull ourselves out of bed every morning. But if you don’t have it, like I didn’t last year, you really miss it. So I have to say that I loved it this year. Rolling into Paris, seeing all the crowds again, you have to be proud. Yes I am proud of what I did, and very proud of the whole team.”

“It was three hard weeks with a lot of up and downs and in the end to be 8th and 12th we got the best out of it. We stuck together as a team, and we can proud of this Tour. I have not done a Grand Tour in two years, and it’s not easy to compensate that. Where I came from – not racing for last two years, and my preparation was not perfect with the crash in the Tour de Suisse – to finish 12th, almost in the top 10 overall in a Grand Tour, I can be very satisfied.”

“I want to end by giving my greeting to my brother Andy. I know he was watching, and would have loved to be here. He has to recover his knee now, but I can speak on behalf of the whole team: they all say hi to him and wish him a speedy recovery. Three weeks has been awesome – all the suffering, the pain – I absolutely loved it!”

Richie Porte: “I’m not quite sure how it happened” he told ITV4 about his break on the final stage. “The plan was to ride for Geraint. Overall, it’s been an up and down Tour for us – and really hard – but next year I’m sure we’ll come back and fight harder. I had the chance of a lifetime to lead the team after Chris crashed out, but I got sick and things didn’t work out. It’s nice to get into Paris and get this Tour done, and I’m looking forward to next year now.”

Geraint Thomas: “I’ve been feeling it over the last few days but I’ve really enjoyed it. The team might get some stick for not winning a stage but we’ve stuck at it, dug in and tried our best, and that’s sport at the end of the day. It feels like I’ve taken a step forward personally. It’s done my confidence the world of good, and like Richie, I’m looking forward to next year already.”

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Photo: PelotonPhotos.com

Final Classifications
Yellow: Vincenzo Nibali
Green: Peter Sagan
KoM: Rafal Majka
Young Rider: Thibaut Pinot
Team: Ag2R

Stage 21
1 Kittel Marcel Team Giant-Shimano 03h 20′ 50″
2 Kristoff Alexander Team Katusha
3 Navardauskas Ramunas Garmin – Sharp
4 Greipel André Lotto-Belisol
5 Renshaw Mark Omega Pharma-Quick Step
6 Eisel Bernhard Team Sky
7 Coquard Bryan Team Europcar
8 Petacchi Alessandro Omega Pharma-Quick Step
9 Sagan Peter Cannondale
10 Feillu Romain Bretagne – Seche Environnement
11 Bennati Daniele Tinkoff-Saxo
12 Demare Arnaud Fdj.Fr
13 Van Avermaet Greg Bmc Racing Team
14 Petit Adrien Cofidis, Solutions Credits
15 Vanmarcke Sep Belkin Pro Cycling
16 Oss Daniel Bmc Racing Team
17 Cimolai Davide Lampre – Merida
18 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 04″
19 Van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team @ 00′ 04″
20 Van Summeren Johan Garmin – Sharp @ 00′ 04″
21 Kluge Roger Iam Cycling @ 00′ 06″
22 Reza Kévin Team Europcar @ 00′ 06″
23 Bauer Jack Garmin – Sharp @ 00′ 06″
24 Veelers Tom Team Giant-Shimano @ 00′ 06″
25 Viviani Elia Cannondale @ 00′ 09″
26 Voigt Jens Trek Factory Racing @ 00′ 09″
27 Valverde Belmonte Alejandro Movistar Team @ 00′ 09″
28 Dumoulin Samuel Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 09″
29 Velits Peter Bmc Racing Team @ 00′ 09″
30 Tankink Bram Belkin Pro Cycling @ 00′ 09″
31 Montaguti Matteo Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 09″
32 Chavanel Sylvain Iam Cycling @ 00′ 09″
33 Zubeldia Agirre Haimar Trek Factory Racing @ 00′ 09″
34 Minard Sébastien Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 09″
35 Riblon Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 09″
36 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 09″
37 Horner Christopher Lampre – Merida @ 00′ 09″
38 Oliveira Nelson Lampre – Merida @ 00′ 09″
39 Thomas Geraint Team Sky @ 00′ 09″
40 Delage Mickaël Fdj.Fr @ 00′ 15″
41 De Kort Koen Team Giant-Shimano @ 00′ 15″
42 Elmiger Martin Iam Cycling @ 00′ 15″
43 Albasini Michael Orica Greenedge @ 00′ 15″
44 Delaplace Anthony Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 00′ 15″
45 Simon Julien Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 00′ 15″
46 Schär Michael Bmc Racing Team @ 00′ 15″
47 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling @ 00′ 15″
48 Bonnet William Fdj.Fr @ 00′ 15″
49 Boom Lars Belkin Pro Cycling @ 00′ 15″
50 Ten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling @ 00′ 15″
51 Irizar Arranburu Markel Trek Factory Racing @ 00′ 15″
52 Mate Mardones Luis Angel Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 00′ 15″
53 Schleck Frank Trek Factory Racing @ 00′ 15″
54 Konig Leopold Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 15″
55 Stetina Peter Bmc Racing Team @ 00′ 15″
56 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr @ 00′ 15″
57 Barta Jan Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 15″
58 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar @ 00′ 15″
59 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Team Sky @ 00′ 15″
60 Dumoulin Tom Team Giant-Shimano @ 00′ 15″
61 Lopez Garcia David Team Sky @ 00′ 15″
62 Bideau Jean-Marc Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 00′ 15″
63 Trentin Matteo Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 00′ 15″
64 Roy Jérémy Fdj.Fr @ 00′ 15″
65 Erviti Ollo Imanol Movistar Team @ 00′ 15″
66 Gautier Cyril Team Europcar @ 00′ 15″
67 Trofimov Yury Team Katusha @ 00′ 15″
68 Rast Gregory Trek Factory Racing @ 00′ 24″
69 Morkov Michael Tinkoff-Saxo @ 00′ 24″
70 Smukulis Gatis Team Katusha @ 00′ 24″
71 Izaguirre Insausti Jon Movistar Team @ 00′ 24″
72 Grivko Andriy Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
73 Ladagnous Matthieu Fdj.Fr @ 00′ 24″
74 Roelandts Jurgen Lotto-Belisol @ 00′ 24″
75 Westra Lieuwe Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
76 Marcato Marco Cannondale @ 00′ 24″
77 Guillou Florian Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 00′ 24″
78 Scarponi Michele Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
79 Feillu Brice Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 00′ 24″
80 Vanotti Alessandro Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
81 Nibali Vincenzo Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
82 Jarrier Benoit Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 00′ 24″
83 Wyss Marcel Iam Cycling @ 00′ 24″
84 Gastauer Ben Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 24″
85 Busche Matthew Trek Factory Racing @ 00′ 24″
86 Golas Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 00′ 24″
87 Koren Kristijan Cannondale @ 00′ 24″
88 Durasek Kristijan Lampre – Merida @ 00′ 24″
89 Serpa José Lampre – Merida @ 00′ 24″
90 Cherel Mikael Ag2r La Mondiale @ 00′ 24″
91 Huzarski Bartosz Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 24″
92 Van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol @ 00′ 24″
93 Majka Rafal Tinkoff-Saxo @ 00′ 24″
94 Kruijswijk Steven Belkin Pro Cycling @ 00′ 24″
95 Keukeleire Jens Orica Greenedge @ 00′ 24″
96 Slagter Tom Jelte Garmin – Sharp @ 00′ 24″
97 Plaza Molina Ruben Movistar Team @ 00′ 24″
98 Bodnar Maciej Cannondale @ 00′ 24″
99 Sieberg Marcel Lotto-Belisol @ 00′ 24″
100 Gruzdev Dmitriy Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
101 Fuglsang Jakob Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
102 Gadret John Movistar Team @ 00′ 24″
103 Kangert Tanel Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 24″
104 Paulinho Sergio Miguel Moreira Tinkoff-Saxo @ 00′ 24″
105 Langeveld Sebastian Garmin – Sharp @ 00′ 24″
106 Schillinger Andreas Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 24″
107 Rogers Michael Tinkoff-Saxo @ 00′ 34″
108 Degenkolb John Team Giant-Shimano @ 00′ 36″
109 Martin Tony Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 00′ 39″
110 Terpstra Niki Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 00′ 39″
111 Quemeneur Perrig Team Europcar @ 00′ 41″
112 Tosatto Matteo Tinkoff-Saxo @ 00′ 41″
113 Roche Nicolas Tinkoff-Saxo @ 00′ 41″
114 Bakelants Jan Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 00′ 41″
115 Gene Yohann Team Europcar @ 00′ 45″
116 Machado Tiago Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 47″
117 Voss Paul Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 47″
118 Arashiro Yukiya Team Europcar @ 00′ 47″
119 Voeckler Thomas Team Europcar @ 00′ 55″
120 Visconti Giovanni Movistar Team @ 00′ 55″
121 Pimenta Costa Mendes José Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 57″
122 Porte Richie Team Sky @ 00′ 57″
123 Fonseca Armindo Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 00′ 57″
124 Timmer Albert Team Giant-Shimano @ 00′ 57″
125 Reichenbach Sébastien Iam Cycling @ 00′ 57″
126 Curvers Roy Team Giant-Shimano @ 00′ 57″
127 Howes Alex Garmin – Sharp @ 00′ 57″
128 King Benjamin Garmin – Sharp @ 00′ 57″
129 Moinard Amaël Bmc Racing Team @ 00′ 57″
130 Intxausti Benat Movistar Team @ 00′ 57″
131 Iglinskiy Maxim Astana Pro Team @ 00′ 57″
132 Edet Nicolas Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 01′ 02″
133 Pineau Cedric Fdj.Fr @ 01′ 02″
134 Hansen Adam Lotto-Belisol @ 01′ 04″
135 Sabatini Fabio Cannondale @ 01′ 06″
136 Burghardt Marcus Bmc Racing Team @ 01′ 08″
137 Paolini Luca Team Katusha @ 01′ 12″
138 De Marchi Alessandro Cannondale @ 01′ 17″
139 Marino Jean Marc Cannondale @ 01′ 17″
140 Clarke Simon Orica Greenedge @ 01′ 20″
141 Durbridge Luke Orica Greenedge @ 01′ 20″
142 Meier Christian Orica Greenedge @ 01′ 20″
143 Pate Danny Team Sky @ 01′ 20″
144 Tuft Svein Orica Greenedge @ 01′ 20″
145 Molard Rudy Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 01′ 20″
146 Rodriguez Joaquim Team Katusha @ 01′ 20″
147 Isaichev Vladimir Team Katusha @ 01′ 20″
148 Gallopin Tony Lotto-Belisol @ 01′ 20″
149 Pineau Jérôme Iam Cycling @ 01′ 20″
150 Taaramäe Rein Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 01′ 20″
151 Gerard Arnaud Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 01′ 20″
152 Wynants Maarten Belkin Pro Cycling @ 01′ 20″
153 Leezer Thomas Belkin Pro Cycling @ 01′ 20″
154 Jeannesson Arnold Fdj.Fr @ 01′ 20″
155 Lemoine Cyril Cofidis, Solutions Credits @ 01′ 26″
156 Kwiatkowski Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 01′ 30″
157 Bak Lars Lotto-Belisol @ 01′ 41″
158 Dempster Zakkari Team Netapp-Endura @ 00′ 24″
159 Vachon Florian Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 00′ 24″
160 Herrada Lopez Jesus Movistar Team @ 01′ 59″
161 Kiryienka Vasili Team Sky @ 03′ 39″
162 Kadri Blel Ag2r La Mondiale @ 04′ 05″
163 Pichot Alexandre Team Europcar @ 04′ 33″
164 Ji Cheng Team Giant-Shimano @ 09′ 25″
Final Overall
1 Nibali Vincenzo Astana Pro Team 89h 59′ 06″
2 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale @ 07′ 37″
3 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr @ 08′ 15″

4 Valverde Belmonte Alejandro Movistar Team @ 09′ 40″
5 Van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team @ 11′ 24″
6 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale @ 11′ 26″
7 Konig Leopold Team Netapp-Endura @ 14′ 32″
8 Zubeldia Agirre Haimar Trek Factory Racing @ 17′ 57″
9 Dten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling @ 18′ 11″
10 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling @ 21′ 15″
11 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar @ 23′ 07″
12 Schleck Frank Trek Factory Racing @ 25′ 48″
13 Van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol @ 34′ 01″
14 Trofimov Yury Team Katusha @ 36′ 41″
15 Kruijswijk Steven Belkin Pro Cycling @ 38′ 15″
16 Feillu Brice Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 43′ 59″
17 Horner Christopher Lampre – Merida @ 44′ 31″
18 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Team Sky @ 46′ 31″
19 Gadret John Movistar Team @ 47′ 30″
20 Kangert Tanel Astana Pro Team @ 52′ 11″

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