Tour de France Stage 13 Report

July 12, Stage 13: Tours – Saint-Amand-Montrond 173km

Cavendish wins stage 13 of the Tour de France

Article Content from www.cyclingnews.com Report By: Stephen Farrand Published: July 12

Video Recap from www.cycling.tv

Yellow jersey wearer Froome loses 1:09

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) and Bauke Mollema (Belkin) pulled back more than a minute on Chris Froome (Team Sky) during stage 13 of the Tour de France after crosswinds and echelons transformed a transfer stage into a battleground on the road to Saint-Amand-Montrond.

Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) beat Peter Sagan (Cannondale) to win his 25th Tour de France stage after a master class of aggressive racing in the wind but his superb performance was matched by that of Saxo-Tinkoff who cracked Team Sky and Froome in the finale of the stage.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was distanced and lost second place overall after puncturing mid-stage, then Saxo-Tinkoff split the front group again with 30km to go, distancing Froome. Team Sky did not have the riders to close the gap and Froome finished more than a minute behind Contador and Mollema. A flat stage had done as much damage as a mountain finish.

Froome’s overall lead fell to 2:28 ahead of Mollema. Contador is now third overall at 2:45.

Cavendish celebrates Tour win number 25

Cavendish slapped his sides as he beat Sagan and crossed the finish line, seemingly proud to indicate the name of his team, who had ridden so well to help him win.

“It’s incredible to win like that,” he said.

“We talked about it a bit before the stage, we knew the wind was strong but we didn’t know it was strong enough to break it. Then Gert (Steegmans) goes and kicked it off. We kept going and then Saxo went later. I’m so happy. The guys rode out of their skin today. It’s incredible to be able to win that.”

“I nearly missed the final split. Kwiatkowski got me half way across and then I shouted to him to move left. I sprinted and just managed to get in the echelon. When echelons form it’s similar to falling through ice… you’ve got five seconds to save yourself or it’s all over. I sprinted across the gap, then we were gone. We’re a Belgian team and we’re used to racing in crosswinds. I knew I’d be able to get it if I stayed behind Sagan in the sprint and I did.”

How it happened

The stage was expected to be another quiet day for most of the peloton, with the overall contenders saving their legs for Sunday’s finish at Mont Ventoux and the sprinters determined to control the racing and then fight for the win.

An early break of six riders formed almost at kilometre zero, with Yohann Gene (Team Europcar), Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskaltel), Luis Mate (Cofidis), Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida), Kris Boeckmans (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Cyril Lemoine (Sojasun) opening a four-minute lead.

They looked set to be off the front for much of the day but instead the race took a twist just before 100km mark. The hot canicule crosswinds of central France suddenly created waves in the cornfields and sparked echelons in the peloton.

Omega Pharma-Quick Step was the first to hit the front and work hard to force the split. Suddenly the race had come alive and other teams joined in, especially when the sprint teams up front realised that Kittel was not there.

The hard work of the front group meant the break was quickly caught and then the stage took another twist when Valverde punctured with 86km to go.

The Spaniard did not panic but perhaps underestimated the gravity of the situation and the risk he faced. He took a rear wheel from a teammate and got going again. However he lost 30 seconds and suddenly realised that with the front group riding hard and the side winds still blowing, he would have to fight to get back on.

Three teammates helped him chase and another dropped back from the front group but they did not have the speed to get back on. Belkin knew they had a chance to move up Mollema in the overall classification and so began to work even harder. It was a key moment in the stage but would not prove to be the biggest.

Valverde eventually drifted backwards and was caught by the Kittel group. Their teams led the chase, but they lost more and more time. Kittel lost out on the chance of another stage win, Valverde lost any hope of a good overall result. He finished 9:54 behind Cavendish and slipped to 16th overall.

Saxo-Tinkoff’s audacious attack

With 31km to go, the tension seemed to ease upfront. Then suddenly the race exploded yet again thanks to the side winds. It was the most audacious attack of the day. Saxo-Tinkoff had been vigilant all day and suddenly hit the front hard causing yet another split. Contador was there and so too was Mollema but Froome was not with them and failed to get on the back of the echelon. He could only watch them surge away, while his teammates quickly tried to start a chase.

Cavendish and Sagan were in the front echelon of 14 riders, with several teammates and they also joined in the work. Greipel had missed it. The race for the stage and for the overall GC was on.

For 10 kilometres, Team Sky and other chasers managed to hold the gap to a handful of seconds but then suddenly the elastic snapped. Richie Porte had already been dropped from the front peloton and there were only three Team Sky riders to help Froome.

Up front, the Saxo-Tinkoff riders suddenly began to give absolutely everything, riding a team time trial to gain as much time as they could. Even Contador did some turns on the front. Behind Lotto Belisol tried to chase down the echelon, but the gap reached a minute.

In the final kilometre, the 14 riders in the echelon began to think about the stage win. Niki Terpstra tried a solo move for Omega Pharma-Quick Step, forcing Maciej Bodnar to chase him down instead of leading out Sagan.

Cavendish sat on the Slovakian’s wheel and then jumped away in sight of the line to take his 25th Tour de France win. Sagan was second, with Mollema third.

Froome finished 1:09 behind and struggled to smile as he pulled on the yellow jersey. He has realised he will have to fight all the way to Paris if he wants to win the 100th edition of the Tour de France.

General classification after stage 13
Result
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 51:00:30
2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:02:28
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:02:45
4 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:02:48
5 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:03:01
6 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:04:39
7 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:04:44
8 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team 0:05:18
9 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:39
10 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha 0:05:48
11 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp 0:05:52
12 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:06:54
13 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:07:28
14 Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack Leopard 0:08:32
15 Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack Leopard 0:10:16
16 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:12:10
17 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:13:11
18 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team 0:14:22
19 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:14:50
20 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:14:57
21 Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:16:49
22 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha 0:18:36
23 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:19:43
24 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:19:59
25 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:20:35
26 Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Lampre-Merida 0:21:01
27 Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:21:54
28 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 0:25:33
29 Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar 0:26:42
30 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 0:30:04
31 Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:30:17
32 Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack Leopard 0:31:29
33 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:32:14
34 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha 0:32:48
35 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:33:15
36 Maxime Mederel (Fra) Sojasun 0:33:40
37 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida 0:33:43
38 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack Leopard 0:34:13
39 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:36:05
40 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:36:43
41 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:37:40
42 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:37:48
43 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:38:08
44 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:38:36
45 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack Leopard 0:38:42
46 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Movistar Team 0:40:49
47 Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:41:24
48 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar 0:43:47
49 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:44:25
50 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge 0:44:38
51 Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team 0:44:49
52 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:45:29
53 Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team 0:47:09
54 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp 0:48:49
55 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) Sojasun 0:48:56
56 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 0:52:32
57 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:52:58
58 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:53:32
59 Laurent Didier (Lux) RadioShack Leopard 0:54:51
60 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano 0:54:57
61 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:55:45
62 Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:56:30
63 Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack Leopard 0:58:13
64 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:58:56
65 Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack Leopard 0:59:28
66 Yury Trofimov (Rus) Katusha 0:59:52
67 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team 1:00:16
68 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ.fr 1:01:32
69 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 1:01:45
70 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida 1:03:02
71 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 1:03:16
72 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team 1:03:24
73 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 1:03:41
74 Julien El Fares (Fra) Sojasun 1:03:51
75 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha 1:03:56
76 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:04:16
77 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:06:01
78 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 1:07:37
79 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ.fr 1:07:44
80 Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdge 1:07:50
81 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol 1:07:51
82 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:08:02
83 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team 1:08:12
84 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar 1:08:16
85 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 1:12:08
86 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:13:18
87 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Sky Procycling 1:13:54
88 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 1:14:44
89 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 1:15:24
90 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:15:36
91 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team 1:16:01
92 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:17:04
93 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1:17:09
94 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha 1:17:53
95 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:19:16
96 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano 1:19:34
97 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:19:45
98 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol 1:20:01
99 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:20:15
100 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 1:20:45
101 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Sky Procycling 1:21:39
102 David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Sharp 1:21:52
103 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano 1:24:04
104 Julien Simon (Fra) Sojasun 1:26:13
105 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 1:26:21
106 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team 1:26:29
107 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:26:38
108 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1:27:02
109 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-Sharp 1:28:08
110 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Sojasun 1:28:50
111 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Sojasun 1:29:16
112 Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-Merida 1:29:17
113 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:29:39
114 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha 1:29:59
115 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) RadioShack Leopard 1:30:05
116 Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Sojasun 1:30:39
117 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 1:31:01
118 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol 1:31:06
119 Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:31:09
120 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:32:21
121 Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 1:37:13
122 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:38:43
123 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol 1:39:15
124 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:39:17
125 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida 1:39:43
126 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 1:40:13
127 Brice Feillu (Fra) Sojasun 1:40:33
128 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha 1:41:18
129 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 1:42:03
130 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ.fr 1:42:30
131 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 1:43:00
132 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 1:45:22
133 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol 1:45:23
134 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 1:45:33
135 David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar 1:46:19
136 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:47:18
137 Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr 1:48:05
138 Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha 1:48:11
139 Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:48:18
140 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:48:54
141 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team
142 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano 1:48:59
143 Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar 1:50:08
144 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 1:50:54
145 Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:51:02
146 Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin-Sharp 1:51:34
147 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun 1:51:46
148 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano 1:52:15
149 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling 1:52:27
150 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 1:52:39
151 Boy van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:52:54
152 David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Sky Procycling
153 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:53:03
154 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr 1:53:44
155 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida 1:53:57
156 Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:54:45
157 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 1:54:48
158 Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1:55:05
159 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1:55:12
160 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1:55:17
161 Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 1:55:47
162 Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol 1:56:45
163 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano 1:57:56
164 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling 1:58:04
165 Brian Vandborg (Den) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:58:12
166 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 1:59:40
167 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol 2:00:43
168 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 2:02:16
169 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano 2:04:22
170 Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol 2:04:36
171 Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar 2:05:25
172 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano 2:06:34
173 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 2:07:48
174 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 2:08:05
175 Tom Veelers (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano 2:08:30
176 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 2:09:52
177 Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 2:12:27
178 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 2:12:34
179 Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar 2:14:14
180 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-GreenEdge 2:14:16
181 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 2:18:26

 

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