Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff beats Sagan and Danny van Poppel to the finish line in the Amgen Tour of California
Team Press Release
It was a stage Alexander Kristoff was unsure of at the start of the day – would the climbs be too hard for him or would he still have the answer in a fast sprint to take the win? Once over the last climb, Team Katusha’s Norwegian fast man had the answer he needed – he put his team on the front and kept them there through the closing laps in the city of Santa Rosa.
Photo – (c) Tim De Waele
With 200m to go he came off the wheel of teammate Michael Mørkøv and gunned for the line, taking the victory just ahead of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), marking his first win in the Amgen Tour of California in two appearances. The win was the 8th win for Kristoff in the 2016 cycling season and marks the first win in the USA for Team KATUSHA.
“We had to chase hard and still in the end Peter Sagan was right there with me even though he had been out there by himself all that time. Unbelievable. I was happy to be able to hold him off.”
Alexander Kristoff: “I think if he had saved some energy from earlier he would have beaten me. I had wanted to see how I felt after the climbs before I put my team to work, but once we came across the last one I could tell I was OK. I was tired, but I knew everyone else was also tired. The guys all did such a good job. It’s always good to finish it off with a win and it shows I am going the right way for the Tour de France”.
Stage 7 returned to Santa Rosa, an area that has hosted many stages of the Amgen Tour of California. The 175,5km stage featured 6 rated climbs including the category 1 King Ridge Road. From a break, Peter Sagan went solo and held 2 minutes to the peloton, with the yellow jersey Julian Alaphilippe in the group. Sagan tried to hold his advantage but once the majority of the climbs were behind and the groups were coming back to him, he sat up to try his luck in the circuits, but Kristoff had other plans and used his team to perfection to earn the victory.
Etixx-QuickStep’s Julian Alaphilippe held on to the race lead, still ahead of BMC teammates Rohan Dennis by 16-seconds and 38-seconds to Brent Bookwalter. Team KATUSHA’s Jurgen Van den Broeck currently holds tenth place at +1:48 on the general classification.
“Tomorrow is a really flat stage and I think there will be many sprinters that want to win. So we will see how things go, but of course we want to win again” concluded Alexander Kristoff.
Stage 8 is the race final in Sacramento at 138km. The circuit race takes place in the stage capital of Sacramento with laps around Capital Park. The profile is basically flat.
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- RR Result: East Cleveland Classic
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Result: Tameside Cycling Development Circuit Races 1
- Crit Result: 2024 West Thames League 1
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- TT Result: VTTA Surrey/Sussex 10 mile TT
- TTT Result: Scorton TTT
- TT Result: Manchester & District TTA 25m TT
- TT Result: Stowmarket & District CC 15m TT
- TT Result: Paceline RT Sporting TT
- TT Result: Hereford & District Wheelers 25m TT
- RR Result: Yorkshire RRL #1
- Crit Result: Scottish Student Cycling Criterium Championships
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- TT Result: Blaydon CC Two Up TT
- TT Result: Kent CA 10m TT
- TT Result: Wessex RC 24m TT
- TT Result: Easterley RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Cranbrook CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Penzance Wheelers 12.5m TT
- TT Result: Fife Century RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bramley Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Mid Shropshire Wheelers 25m TT
- Youth Result: Hog Hill GP (National Youth Series)
- RR Result: Velo Club Venta Spring Road Race
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Crit Result: Ennerdale Season Openers 2
- RR Result: NCRA Handicap RR (week 5)
- RR Result: Surrey League 2/3 (April 14)
- Report/Result: TLI Cycling Dave Astles Memorial Races
- RR Result: Cadence Junior Road Race
- Crit Result: Matlock CC Darley Moor Circuit Race #1
- Startlist: PB Performance Espoirs Road Race
- Crit Result: RBL Race Series 1 (MK Bowl)
- Crit Result: Ride Flux Spring Crit series #1
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Series 1
- East Cleveland Classic: Saint Piran Team
- News: New kit for Ribble Rebellion Riders
- Crit Result: Thruxton Midweek Circuit Races
Other News on VeloUK
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Startlist: PB Performance Espoirs Road Race
- East Cleveland Classic: Saint Piran Team
- News: New kit for Ribble Rebellion Riders
- Events: Halesowen Friday Track Nights
- Team News: Ribble Rebellion off to the USA
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (March)
- Rider News: Winning start for Billy Ladle
- News: CiCLE Classic 2024
- Startlist: Stars of the SW Men’s U23 RR
- Startlist: Danum Trophy 2024 (Nat B)
- Startlists: London Dynamo Road Races
- Startlist: La Fleche Waltonne Road Races (BMCR)
- Meet Ribble HoloRider
- Startlists: East Cleveland Classic 2024
- Former Winners: Lincoln Grand Prix
- Chris Lawless Joins Saint Piran Team
- Paracycling Track Worlds Day 4
- Para CyclingWorlds Final Day
- Startlist: National Youth Circuit Series Rd 1
- Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic
- Startlists: RCR Fat Creations Road Races
- Startlist: Capernwray Road Race (March 31)
- Team Report: Fensham Howes MAS Design Junior Team
- Team Report: CiCLE Classic Junior Men
- RIDER REPORTS – Zoe Parker (Solihull CC)
- GB News: Two World Titles for GB at Para Worlds
- Team News: Alba Development Road Team
- News: British Road Champs Return to NE
- THIS WEEKEND: Peaks Two Day is Back!
- News: Laura Kenny Retires
- Team News: Lee Valley Youth Cycling Team
- 2024/25 CYCLO-CROSS CALENDAR
- Startlist: Cardiff Ajax CC 10 Mile TT
- Startlists: 16th Gifford Road Races (Scotland)
- News: Ellingworth is new Tour of Britain Director
- Startlist: Circuit of Ingleborough TT