Tour de France – Stage 16

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Lampre’s veteran Ruben Plaza used his climbing and descending ability to win stage 16 and deny Green jersey Peter Sagan the stage into Gap ahead of the rest day

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Tour de France – Stage 16

A swashbuckling Peter Sagan again played the leading role in the 201-kms 16th stage of the Tour de France between Bourg de Peage and Gap, but had to be content with his 5th second place in the race this year behind Spanish opportunist Ruben Plaza, who had attacked on the final climb to claim victory.

Ruben Plaza – “I joined team Lampre at the request of Rui Costa, whom I knew from Movistar. I dedicate this victory to my family but also to Rui, as his withdrawal was a harsh blow for the team. At 35, you appreciate a victory more than at 25. My last victory on a grand Tour was on the 2005 Vuelta, and it was a time trial”.

“It’s nice to win a stage like this too. I knew that Sagan was coming back and I know how good he is in descents but I had a comfortable enough lead at the top, about 50 seconds, not to panic. It’s true that I had a little fright towards the end when my wheel slid, but I managed. I finished full gas but keeping just a little margin to avoid any upset. I’m extremely happy.”

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The veteran Spaniard launchd a timely attack on Col de Manse, 15 kms from the finish line, to keep Sagan at bay by 30 seconds. It was a career topping result for the Lampre rider, who avenged the withdrawal of team leader Rui Costa, the last winner in Gap two years ago.

The race started without Rodez stage winner Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), who returned home in Belgium for the birth of a child. On the gun, 29 riders broke clear, including green jersey holder Peter Sagan, again extremely active today. After 15 km, the leading group split in two groups of 12 riders.

The first included Grivko (Astana), Riblon (AG2R), Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo), De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Geschke (Giant Alpecin), Haller (Katusha), Jungels (Trek), Oliveira (Lampre), Plaza Molina (Lampre), Navarro (Cofidis), Fedrigo (Bretagne Séché), and Pauwels (MTN). The second was composed of Erviti (Movistar), Hansen (Lotto Soudal), Golas (Etixx), Trentin (Etixx), Voeckler (Europcar), Didier (Trek), Irizar (Trek), Mate (Cofidis), Pantano (IAM), Perichon (Bretagne Séché), Boasson-Hagen and Teklehaimanot (MTN). Tailwind helped the average speed reach 53.6 kph in the first hour of the stage, too fast for British champion Peter Kennaugh, who called it quits.

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Sagan collected the fruits of his efforts by taking the intermediate sprint without opposition, adding 20 points to his green jersey tally. After the sprint, the peloton relaxed while the chasers gained momentum and, while Laurent Didier was dropped, the two leading bunches regrouped at kilometre 105 leaving 23 riders in the lead.

The gap kept increasing, reaching 13:00 at the top of 2nd-category Col de Cabre (Km 130), which saw Serge Pauwels (MTN) pick five points. At the back, Cauterets stage winner Rafal Majka crashed and hurt his left knee.

Sagan imposed a hellish pace in the descent and irked his companions, who started attacking with 50 kms to go. Ten kilometers later, Adam Hansen found an opening and went, quickly followed by Austrian champion Marco Haller.

The two cooperated well but were quickly reeled in as soon as they tackled the final second category Col de Manse. Several attacks took place but experience helped Plaza launch the decisive move three kilometres from the summit.

Despite a reckless descent, Sagan was never in position to make it back to the Spaniard, while Colombia Jarlinson Pantano finished third to gain some 18 minutes in the overall standings and move into the top 15. At the back, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali, who went on the last climb to warn Chris Froome before the rest day, attacked in turn to try an upset the yellow jersey. Geraint Thomas, 6th overall, suffered a spectacular crash in a turn in the descent but escaped unhurt (read more about that here).

Reactions
Peter Sagan: “I knew the descent from two years ago and from seeing it on television with the Beloki crash. I was again very close. I’m glad because I was going for second place. No, I’m joking. I really don’t know what I should do better. I tried everything. I knew I had to try as hard as I could in the descent even if it meant dying. I was the one pulling on the climb because nobody wanted to race with me. When the Lotto (Hansen) went, nobody chased behind him while they all went after me.”

“If you don’t try, you gain nothing. I tried and funnily I always have second places. But it’s okay, I’m very happy with my effort. I might have some bad luck because everybody is looking at me in the race and follows me, when I try. Today, nobody wanted to work on the final climb but I tried to keep the race open. Well, I have a good lead in the points classification but Tour de France is crazy and everyday something can happen and I have to make it to Paris”, says Peter Sagan before adding about the impressive support on the French roads:

“I’m very happy with the support I have here at the Tour, it really motivates me. For example, a whole bus from Slovakia is here and follows me at the race to cheer me on – it’s really nice. Today, I also had many great friends in the group that all wanted to stay with me so it was very difficult to do something but I did my best, also for the supporters”.

Chris Froome: “It’s never nice to hear that one of your team-mates crashed, especially when it’s Geraint Thomas, who gave everything for me since the start of the race and is a GC contender in his own right. But he’s OK, he’s a tough cookie and he’ll be back in the next couple of days. It was unfortunate to lose Peter Kennaugh He had a tough last couple of days with illness and spent a lot of energy trying to stay in the race yesterday”.

“I did hear on the radio that [G] had been caught in a crash behind. At that point I was just trying to say to the guys around me ‘listen there’s been a crash let’s just try and keep the race steady for now.’ But obviously only a few kilometres before the finish the guys wanted to go hard.

“We saw the GC teams attack in the climb, Tinkoff Saxo attacked and then Valverde and Nibali. We can expect the same in the four days left until we reach Paris. We expect to be attacked everywhere. On the flat, in crosswinds, in the climbs. But I’m confident we have the team to control the race and take the jersey back to Paris. Physically and mentally everyone is exhausted and looking forward to the rest day. My wife is coming so I hope to spend a little bit of time with her.”

“It’s really unfortunate for us to lose Pete Kennaugh at this point. He’s a big part of the team but he’s had a tough couple of days with illness. I hope he recovers soon. It means we’re going to have to share the work between the eight riders but the guys are strong and I’ve got a lot of confidence in them.

Alberto Contador “Today has been much better, but there was a lot of wind on the climb, which made it complicated. I think that when I attacked, some people had a little trouble but it was complicated to continue alone. Now I have a day of rest to recover and then we face the Alps, where we will see how it goes”.

“In the Alps, I have to look for opportunities – this is a different Tour for me because I have big time differences to other riders and I’m not at the same strength as in other Tours so I have to look for other opportunities and if I find them I will try. Today was not a day for big opportunities, the margin was very small, just a few seconds, I tried and then Nibali tried but it was just a question of seconds. But a lot of challenges still remain in the Alps, where we will try”.

Geraint Thomas: “I’m all right. I’m a bit shaken up but I’m fine. I have had a lot worse,” said Thomas after the stage. “It’s frustrating because you try so hard to get over that climb. I don’t know why guys don’t just sit where they are on descents. I was just following the wheel and then all of a sudden Barguil was just going straight on, and pushed me off into a big lamp post and down a ditch!”

Stage Result
1 PLAZA MOLINA Ruben LAMPRE – MERIDA 04h 30′ 10″
2 SAGAN Peter TINKOFF-SAXO @ 00′ 30″
3 PANTANO GOMEZ Jarlinson IAM CYCLING @ 00′ 36″
4 GESCHKE Simon TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 00′ 40″
5 JUNGELS Bob TREK FACTORY RACING @ 00′ 40″
6 RIBLON Christophe AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 00′ 40″
7 TEKLEHAIMANOT Daniel MTN-QHUBEKA @ 00′ 53″
8 DE GENDT Thomas LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 01′ 00″
9 MATE MARDONES Luis Angel COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 01′ 22″
10 VOECKLER Thomas TEAM EUROPCAR @ 01′ 22″
11 FEDRIGO Pierrick BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 01′ 54″
12 GRIVKO Andriy ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 01′ 54″
13 PAUWELS Serge MTN-QHUBEKA @ 01′ 54″
14 GOLAS Michal ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 01′ 55″
15 PERVITI OLLO Imanol MOVISTAR TEAM @ 02′ 19″
16 HALLER Marco TEAM KATUSHA @ 02′ 40″
17 NAVARRO GARCIA Daniel COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 03′ 27″
18 HANSEN Adam LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 04′ 07″
19 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald MTN-QHUBEKA @ 04′ 14″
20 OLIVEIRA Nelson LAMPRE – MERIDA @ 04′ 14″
21 PERICHON Pierre-Luc BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 06′ 13″
22 IRIZAR ARRANBURU Markel TREK FACTORY RACING @ 07′ 09″
23 TRENTIN Matteo ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 08′ 44″
24 NIBALI Vincenzo ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 17′ 44″
25 CONTADOR Alberto TINKOFF-SAXO @ 18′ 12″
26 MOLLEMA Bauke TREK FACTORY RACING @ 18′ 12″
27 BARDET Romain AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 18′ 12″
28 FROOME Christopher TEAM SKY @ 18′ 12″
29 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro MOVISTAR TEAM @ 18′ 12″
30 VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC RACING TEAM @ 18′ 12″
31 GESINK Robert TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 18′ 12″
32 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander MOVISTAR TEAM @ 18′ 12″
33 BARGUIL WARREN TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 18′ 12″
34 THOMAS Geraint TEAM SKY @ 18′ 50″
35 POELS Wouter TEAM SKY @ 18′ 50″
36 TALANSKY Andrew TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 19′ 09″
37 CARUSO Damiano BMC RACING TEAM @ 19′ 09″
38 ROLLAND Pierre TEAM EUROPCAR @ 19′ 09″
39 SANCHEZ Samuel BMC RACING TEAM @ 19′ 09″
40 KREUZIGER Roman TINKOFF-SAXO @ 19′ 09″
41 FRANK Mathias IAM CYCLING @ 19′ 09″
42 SCARPONI Michele ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 19′ 09″
43 IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka MOVISTAR TEAM @ 19′ 09″
44 BAKELANTS Jan AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 19′ 09″
45 VUILLERMOZ Alexis AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 19′ 09″
46 PINOT Thibaut FDJ @ 19′ 09″
47 BARTA Jan BORA-ARGON 18 @ 21′ 05″
48 CHEREL Mikael AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 21′ 05″
49 GAUTIER Cyril TEAM EUROPCAR @ 21′ 40″
50 WESTRA Lieuwe ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 21′ 40″
51 SICARD Romain TEAM EUROPCAR @ 21′ 40″
52 DURASEK Kristijan LAMPRE – MERIDA @ 21′ 40″
53 FUGLSANG Jakob ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 21′ 40″
54 BAK Lars LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 21′ 51″
55 GALLOPIN Tony LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 21′ 51″
56 TULIK ANGÉLO TEAM EUROPCAR @ 24′ 40″
57 SCHÄR Michael BMC RACING TEAM @ 24′ 58″
58 MARTENS Paul TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 24′ 58″
59 WYSS Marcel IAM CYCLING @ 24′ 58″
60 KRUIJSWIJK Steven TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 24′ 58″
61 CLEMENT Stef IAM CYCLING @ 24′ 58″
62 WYSS Danilo BMC RACING TEAM @ 24′ 58″
63 CURVERS Roy TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 24′ 58″
64 HESJEDAL Ryder TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 24′ 58″
65 KOREN Kristijan TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 24′ 58″
66 RAST Gregory TREK FACTORY RACING @ 24′ 58″
67 LADAGNOUS Matthieu FDJ @ 24′ 58″
68 VACHON Florian BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 24′ 58″
69 DE KORT Koen TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 24′ 58″
70 YATES Adam ORICA GREENEDGE @ 24′ 58″
71 TANKINK Bram TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 24′ 58″
72 HOLLENSTEIN Reto IAM CYCLING @ 24′ 58″
73 FONSECA Armindo BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 24′ 58″
74 DELAPLACE Anthony BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 24′ 58″
75 BRUN Fréderic BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 24′ 58″
76 QUEMENEUR Perrig TEAM EUROPCAR @ 24′ 58″
77 ANDERSEN Michael Valgren TINKOFF-SAXO @ 24′ 58″
78 FEILLU Brice BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 24′ 58″
79 VAN BAARLE Dylan TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 24′ 58″
80 PREIDLER Georg TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 24′ 58″
81 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar TREK FACTORY RACING @ 24′ 58″
82 TOSATTO Matteo TINKOFF-SAXO @ 24′ 58″
83 PORTE Richie TEAM SKY @ 24′ 58″
84 HERRADA LOPEZ José MOVISTAR TEAM @ 24′ 58″
85 ROGERS Michael TINKOFF-SAXO @ 24′ 58″
86 HAAS Nathan TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 24′ 58″
87 CASTROVIEJO NICOLAS Jonathan MOVISTAR TEAM @ 24′ 58″
88 SENECHAL Florian COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 24′ 58″
89 CUMMINGS Stephen MTN-QHUBEKA @ 24′ 58″
90 GRUZDEV Dmitriy ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 24′ 58″
91 ANACONA GOMEZ Winner Andrew MOVISTAR TEAM @ 24′ 58″
92 ARREDONDO MORENO Julian TREK FACTORY RACING @ 24′ 58″
93 ROCHE Nicolas TEAM SKY @ 24′ 58″
94 KONIG Leopold TEAM SKY @ 24′ 58″
95 QUINZIATO Manuel BMC RACING TEAM @ 26′ 21″
96 COQUARD Bryan TEAM EUROPCAR @ 26′ 21″
97 DEMARE Arnaud FDJ @ 30′ 36″
98 CHAVANEL Sylvain IAM CYCLING @ 30′ 36″
99 GUARNIERI Jacopo TEAM KATUSHA @ 30′ 36″
100 SIEBERG Marcel LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 30′ 36″
101 DEBUSSCHERE Jens LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 30′ 36″
102 ROY Jérémy FDJ @ 30′ 36″
103 GREIPEL André LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 30′ 36″
104 NAULLEAU BRYAN TEAM EUROPCAR @ 30′ 36″
105 ELMIGER Martin IAM CYCLING @ 30′ 36″
106 DENNIS Rohan BMC RACING TEAM @ 30′ 36″
107 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joachim TEAM KATUSHA @ 30′ 36″
108 DEGENKOLB John TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 30′ 36″
109 PIMANTA COSTA MENDES José Joao BORA-ARGON 18 @ 30′ 36″
110 KUDUS GHEBREMEDHIN Merhawi MTN-QHUBEKA @ 30′ 36″
111 GENE Yohann TEAM EUROPCAR @ 30′ 36″
112 KRISTOFF Alexander TEAM KATUSHA @ 30′ 36″
113 GERARD Arnaud BRETAGNE – SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT @ 30′ 36″
114 GAUDIN Damien AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 30′ 36″
115 KANGERT Tanel ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 30′ 36″
116 VAN EMDEN Jos TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 30′ 36″
117 RENSHAW Mark ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 30′ 36″
118 MARTIN Daniel TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 30′ 36″
119 VANBILSEN KENNETH COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 30′ 36″
120 VANMARCKE Sep TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 30′ 36″
121 LEEZER Thomas TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 30′ 36″
122 KELDERMAN Wilco TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 30′ 36″
123 VALLS FERRI Rafael LAMPRE – MERIDA @ 30′ 36″
124 SIMON Julien COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 30′ 36″
125 OSS Daniel BMC RACING TEAM @ 30′ 36″
126 VERMOTE Julien ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 30′ 36″
127 STYBAR Zdenek ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 30′ 36″
128 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt MTN-QHUBEKA @ 30′ 36″
129 URAN URAN Rigoberto ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 30′ 36″
130 EDET Nicolas COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 30′ 36″
131 DIDIER Laurent TREK FACTORY RACING @ 30′ 36″
132 VAUGRENARD Benoît FDJ @ 30′ 36″
133 CHAVANEL Sébastien FDJ @ 30′ 36″
134 POZZATO Filippo LAMPRE – MERIDA @ 30′ 36″
135 GENIEZ Alexandre FDJ @ 30′ 36″
136 NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 30′ 36″
137 BONO Matteo LAMPRE – MERIDA @ 30′ 36″
138 MACHADO Tiago TEAM KATUSHA @ 30′ 36″
139 SOUPE GEOFFREY COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 30′ 36″
140 SERPA SANTANDER José LAMPRE – MERIDA @ 30′ 36″
141 LOSADA ALGUACIL Alberto TEAM KATUSHA @ 30′ 36″
142 CARUSO Gianpaolo TEAM KATUSHA @ 30′ 36″
143 DEVOLDER Stijn TREK FACTORY RACING @ 30′ 36″
144 PÉRAUD Jean-Christophe AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 30′ 36″
145 FARRAR Tyler MTN-QHUBEKA @ 30′ 36″
146 BRÄNDLE Matthias IAM CYCLING @ 30′ 36″
147 CAVENDISH Mark ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 30′ 36″
148 MATTHEWS Michael ORICA GREENEDGE @ 30′ 36″
149 MAJKA Rafal TINKOFF-SAXO @ 30′ 36″
150 BUCHMANN Emanuel BORA-ARGON 18 @ 30′ 36″
151 CIMOLAI Davide LAMPRE – MERIDA @ 30′ 36″
152 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Jacques MTN-QHUBEKA @ 30′ 36″
153 MEINTJES Louis MTN-QHUBEKA @ 30′ 36″
154 COPPEL Jérôme IAM CYCLING @ 30′ 36″
155 KWIATKOWSKI Michal ETIXX-QUICK STEP @ 30′ 36″
156 VOSS Paul BORA-ARGON 18 @ 30′ 36″
157 STANNARD Ian TEAM SKY @ 30′ 36″
158 WEENING Pieter ORICA GREENEDGE @ 30′ 36″
159 LAPORTE Christophe COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS @ 30′ 36″
159 YATES Simon ORICA GREENEDGE @ 30′ 36″
161 WELLENS Tim LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 30′ 36″
162 TUFT Svein ORICA GREENEDGE @ 30′ 36″
163 HUZARSKI Bartosz BORA-ARGON 18 @ 30′ 36″
164 ROWE Luke TEAM SKY @ 30′ 36″
165 DURBRIDGE Luke ORICA GREENEDGE @ 30′ 36″
166 BENNETT Sam BORA-ARGON 18 @ 30′ 36″
167 TEN DAM Laurens TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 30′ 36″
168 TIMMER Albert TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 30′ 36″
169 MALORI Adriano MOVISTAR TEAM @ 30′ 36″

OVERALL
1 FROOME Christopher TEAM SKY 64h 47′ 16″
2 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander MOVISTAR TEAM @ 03′ 10″
3 VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC RACING TEAM @ 03′ 32″
4 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro MOVISTAR TEAM @ 04′ 02″
5 CONTADOR Alberto TINKOFF-SAXO @ 04′ 23″
6 THOMAS Geraint TEAM SKY @ 05′ 32″
7 DGESINK Robert TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO @ 06′ 23″
8 NIBALI Vincenzo ASTANA PRO TEAM @ 07′ 49″
9 MOLLEMA Bauke TREK FACTORY RACING @ 08′ 53″
10 BARGUIL WARREN TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN @ 11′ 03″
11 GALLOPIN Tony LOTTO-SOUDAL @ 12′ 02″
12 BARDET Romain AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 13′ 10″
13 FRANK Mathias IAM CYCLING @ 14′ 23″
14 SANCHEZ Samuel BMC RACING TEAM @ 15′ 18″
15 ROLLAND Pierre TEAM EUROPCAR @ 15′ 55″
16 PANTANO GOMEZ Jarlinson IAM CYCLING @ 17′ 04″
17 TALANSKY Andrew TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN @ 23′ 15″
18 PAUWELS Serge MTN-QHUBEKA @ 24′ 18″
19 PINOT Thibaut FDJ @ 31′ 54″
20 VUILLERMOZ Alexis AG2R LA MONDIALE @ 36′ 29″

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