Stage winner Matthews takes aim at Degenkolb
ROMANS-SUR-ISÈRE: Australian Michael Matthews hit out at sprint rival John Degenkolb after winning his second stage of the 2017 Tour de France on Tuesday.
Matthews won a photo finish sprint to claim the 16th stage ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen and Degenkolb.
But German Degenkolb was angered by the line Matthews took in the finish and waved his hand at the Aussie as they crossed the line.
He then allegedly grabbed Matthews around the neck in the area just beyond the finishing line.
“I was waiting for the result and he grabbed me on the way past,” said the 26-year-old.
“The officials saw it. We’ll see what the officials will do about it.
“I don’t think it’s very sportsmanlike. “From my perspective, I don’t think I did anything wrong. I didn’t change my line, I sprinted in a straight line.
“I’m not sure what was wrong with Degenkolb, but that’s up to him.”
Degenkolb’s Trek team filed an official complaint and the German saw things differently.
“Clearly I came with more speed than him from his wheel, and he saw me on the right side and closed the gap on the right side,” he said.
“That made me stop the sprint to sprint for the victory.” Degenkolb was unapologetic. “You know, it’s just in the heat of the situation. You are obviously very angry if you cannot go for the victory,” he said.
“For me it’s very clear. You see he is going off his line into my line. You can see it on television.”
Matthews claimed another 50 points in the sprinters’ green jersey competition to close to 29 points behind Quick-Step’s Marcel Kittel, who has won five stages this year.
Kittel had been dropped early in the stage on a third category climb as Matthews’s Sunweb team set a fierce pace.
Chris Froome retained the overall lead in a hectic finale baulked by crosswinds that saw top 10 contenders Daniel Martin, Louis Meintjes (both 51sec) and Alberto Contador (1min 33sec) lose time.
“Everyone knew that the last 20km would be in the wind with crosswinds,” said Sky’s Froome. “It was there that we decided we had to go, to ride hard and try to make a selection.”
Frenchman Romain Bardet was almost caught out but was paced back to the lead group by teammate Oliver Naesen, while Fabio Aru had to bridge a small gap by himself.
The Italian remains second at 18sec with Bardet third at 23sec. Froome’s Spanish teammate Mikel Landa reclaimed fifth place from Martin, who fell to seventh.