During post-Stage 16 Tour de’ France interviews, Sagan had stated that his most recent win was an indication that “destiny was turning his way”, as shown during the young racer’s lunge for the finish line. “He chooses when he wants to go in the breakaway, how he wants to ride the finish”.
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Norwegian Sondre Holst Enger (IAM Cycling) took third place, while Matthews was fifth behind John Degenkolb of Germany. I will be heading to Rio for the Olympic Games, whereas Amaël will be returning home to Saint Laurent du Var near Nice and some family time his wife, Morgane, and children live. Froome dismissed suggestions his rivals have been passive and unwilling to make a mark on the relentless tempo set by his Sky team-mates on climbs.
“I don’t agree, I think other teams have said they’re going to attack this week in the Alps and I expect they will do”, he said after “ticking off” the 16th stage.
“I wouldn’t say the best is yet to come but I certainly feel as if I’m not like I was in the two previous editions – hanging on in the third week”. “All you need is one bad day in the mountains”, he added. American Tejay van Garderen could not follow and dropped to eighth overall, 4:47 behind Froome.
“It was a mess of a finish”.
“The guy had a big flag and the pole was getting close to my front wheel”, said Froome, at his base in the Swiss lake resort of Hilterfingen.
“I was not waiting for the results, I thought I was second until they came and told me I had won”, Sagan said. “I think one of the main reasons we’ve not seen massive attacks is the level of fatigue. It’s a big goal so bring it on”.
The victor of the 2013 and 2015 editions of the race does expect attacks in the days ahead, however.
As well as enjoying four stage wins, Cavendish also wore the overall leader’s yellow jersey for the first time and carried the green jersey for the points classification into the first rest day in Andorra.
The duo built a six-minute gap but Frenchman Alaphilippe ran out of steam 30km from the finish and German Martin was caught by the bunch 22.5km from the line.
He then broke away alongside world champion Peter Sagan on a flat 11th stage with crosswinds to snare more time from his rivals.
Numerous turns and an uphill cobbled section split the peloton and Sagan was again the strongest in the final sprint.
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Cavendish had said as recently as Saturday’s stage to Villars-les-Dombes that he would do his utmost to continue all the way to Paris, while reiterating that that would depend on how much he had left in the tank, bearing in mind that in 2015 the final phase in the Alps had left him in bed for several days.
