When the pack drew within five minutes of him, Direct-Energie’s ever-willing Thomas Voeckler bridged across, and the two led the race on the approach to Angers before being swallowed up 8km from home.
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“Last year was a huge setback”.
He won his first national title in 2015 when he claimed the individual time trial event in Ballarat. “I live for my sport”. Today’s finish was good for me but I started sprinting too early. But he just managed to hang on and edge Coquard.
Kittel cut an emotional figure at the end as he achieved his first Tour stage win since succeeding on the Champs Elysees in Paris in the final stage of the 2014 edition only to miss the race altogether a year ago. “If the chance (to win the stage) presents itself and I’m there, we won’t pass it up, but it’s not essential”. The British rider with Team Dimension Data matched five-time Tour champion Bernard Hinault for second behind Eddy Merckx, who had 34 stage wins. Last years tour victor Chris Froome even predicted Valverde to be in yellow after the stage. It’s going to be more selective, and maybe a stage for (Movistar’s Alejandro) Valverde or (Julian) Alaphilippe or Dan Martin (both Etixx-QuickStep).
When it comes down to the pursuit it’s pretty much neck and neck between France’s Bryan Coquard and Kittel, thanks to the work of his Quick step team.
Coquard’s aggressive burst for the line nearly paid off with his first stage win in cycling’s showpiece event.
Sagan’s third place means the world champion has moved back ahead of Cavendish in the battle for the points leaders’ green jersey.
Coquard and Kittel ran side by side-and elbow to shoulder, as the pair got a bit physical-through the final few dozen meters, crossing the line too close together for the victor to be called.
“I’ve won by more, I’ve won by less”, said Cavendish, the most successful sprinter in Tour history.
Mark Cavendish has described joining the legendary Bernard Hinault on 28 Tour de France stage wins as beyond a dream.
Cavendish, who looked beaten with 50 metres left after Greipel’s second acceleration, threw his bike well to add to his victory in the opening stage on Saturday.
History: Some bad memories might have crossed the mind of three-time Tour de France victor Greg LeMond when the peloton went past the little town of Les Loges-Marchis.
For the first 150km the peloton seemed to be on strike as French rider Armindo Fonseca went on the attack from the off.
He’s not in the peloton early on though with Oliver Naesen, Alexis Gougeard, Markel Irizar and Andreas Schillinger all breaking away after the 55.5 milometer mark.
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Determined to defend Sagan’s yellow jersey, the Tinkoff team hit the front of the bunch to step up the pace in hot and sunny conditions.
