DEGENKOLB BACK IN BUSINESS ON TOUR

JOHN DEGENKOLB won the ArrasRoubaix ninth stage of the Tour de France yesterday ahead of Greg Van Avermaet as dozens of falls and multiple withdrawals made for a slapstick spectacle amidst clouds of dust on its famed cobbled sections. The win marks a return to form for the German, a former winner of ParisRoubaix, who was knocked down by a car in Mallorca two years ago. “I love Roubaix,” said Degenkolb, who was one of six riders badly injured when knocked down by a British tourist. Van Avermaet kept hold of the overall leader’s yellow jersey on a day when his team captain Richie Porte withdrew after a fall and the main contenders all finished more or less together. The lead trio broke with 15km to go and quickly agreed to cooperate taking turns at the head of the group to distance the peloton. “When we got away the three of us I knew I could beat them in the sprint but i didn’t know if i could keep up with them,” Degenkolb said.