Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Matthews completes Grand Tour stage sweep
Froome retains yellow jersey Results/Standings
REVEL, France, July 12, (AFP): Michael Matthews completed the full set of Grand Tour stage victories with a “dream come true” success at the Tour de France 10th stage on Tuesday.
Reigning champion Chris Froome retained the leader’s yellow jersey, the Briton rolling over the line with a languid peloton almost 10 minutes behind Matthews.
The 25-year-old Australian had already taken three stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana and two on the Giro d’Italia.
But on Tuesday he pipped world champion Peter Sagan and Edvald Boassen Hagen of Norway in a sprint finish
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Overall Standings
Fifteen riders, Sagan among them, got away and quickly built a lead of more than six minutes.
But several teams that had missed the break — which included nine former Tour stage winners — decided not to make life comfortable for those out front and stretched out the peloton in a rapid chase.
But with 25km left, Sagan put in a searing burst of pace that split the breakaway group, leaving just seven riders in the lead — crucially three of those from the Aussie Orica team.
At that point, the peloton gave up the chase while up front tactics started to play a role as Orica tried to keep Matthews fresh for the finish.
Durbridge did a lot of work at the front of the group but was dropped once Sagan accelerated on a steep, but short climb close to the finish.
Impey kept the pace high over the final few kilometres, allowing Matthews to stay tucked in behind Sagan and time his sprint finish to perfection.
The one consolation for Sagan, who took second place on a Tour stage for the 17th time since 2012, against just five victories, was that he took back the green sprinters’ points jersey from Briton Mark Cavendish.
“I came second, I’m happy for Michael to win his first stage at the Tour de France,” said Sagan. “I’m happy with my points for the green jersey.”
Australia’s Michael Matthews (left), celebrates as he crosses the finish line ahead of (from second left), Slovakia’s Peter Sagan, Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet and France’s Samuel Dumoulin at the end of the 197 kms tenth stage of the 103rd edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 12, between Escaldes-Engordany
and Revel. (AFP)