Nielsen wins Stage 15 of Tour de France

Magnus Cort Nielsen of Denmark sprinted away from two other challengers to win Stage 15 of the Tour de France on Sunday.

The Astana rider claimed his first career win at the Tour after staying ahead of Ion Izagirre and Bauke Mollema in a sprint over the final 200 metres of the hilly 181.5-kilometre leg from Millau that finished in a long descent to Carcassonne.

The three riders were the last of a breakaway group of 29 cyclists.

Geraint Thomas in the yellow jersey, second-placed Chris Froome, and the rest of the overall contenders were in a pack more than 10 minutes behind and had not finished yet.

Spectators continued to taunt Froome along the roads after the four-time champion was cleared of doping.

Prior to the start of Stage 15, one spectator leaned over the barriers toward Froome and made a gesture like he was injecting his arm.

Throughout the race, spectators have voiced their disapproval of the Team Sky rider.

The race will have a rest day on Monday.

That pause precedes the four days in the Pyrenees, followed by the individual time trial on the penultimate day of the race.

The racing returns on Tuesday with Stage 16, a 218-kilometre mountain trek from Carcassonne to Bagneres-deLuchon.