Groenewegen wins Stage 8 as lucky Sagan gets second spot
Dylan Groenewegen snatched his second win in a row on the Tour de France with a triumph in a sprint finish on Stage 8 yesterday as UAE Team Emirates rider Dan Martin lost ground following a crash.
Groenewegen needed no help from his teammates in the final straight as he slalomed through his rivals to beat German Andre Greipel by almost a bike length after 181 kiometres from Dreux, with Colombian Fernando Gaviria crossing the line in third.
However, both Gaviria and Greipel were later disqualified. Gaviria had been boxed in by Greipel in the final 200 metres and the Colombian appeared to headbutt his rival’s lower back in retaliation.
Slovakia’s Peter Sagan was promoted to second, and German John Degenkolb to third. Belgian Greg van Avermaet retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.
“My shape is getting better by the day, I’m proud that I won again today,” said Groenewegen, who won the final stage on the Champs Elysees last year.
“Sagan started very early and it was a bit messy, and I surged ahead. It was a good opportunity and I seized it.”
One of the overall favourites, Martin who won the sixth stage on Thursday, crashed with 17 kms left and lost one minute 16 seconds.
The Irishman hit the asphalt as the peloton was speeding up to get ready for the final sprint.
Three of his UAE Emirates teammates dropped back to help him regain his place in the bunch but Martin, with the back of his jersey ripped off and his left elbow bleeding, had to concede time ahead of a crucial ninth stage featuring 21.7 kms of cobbled sectors.
All the other favourites spent a quiet day in another slow ride.
“It was a good day, no incident, I’m glad I still have the yellow jersey ahead of tomorrow’s stage,” said Van Avermaet, who leads Briton Geraint Thomas by seven seconds.
Meanwhile, the field are expecting a tough time on today’s Stage 9, which has 21.7km of cobbled roads that the riders must be navigated on the 154km route from Arras to Roubaix.
2014 winner Vincenzo Nibali set up his victorious campaign with a fine performance on the cobbled roads.
“The idea is to try and earn some time but when you’re on the cobbles, there’s no specific tactical plan,” said Paolo Slongo, Nibali’s long-time coach at Bahrain-Merida.
“You’ve got to stay in front, with some teammates if possible, from the first section. Then take stock in between sections of who’s there and who’s not,”
“It’s a stage where you go all out. There are no tactics.”
In 2014, Nibali paved his way to the title when he gained time on all his rivals to extend his overall lead in rainy weather. That year, Chris Froome, the current defending champion, crashed out of the race just before the first cobbled sector.
This is the fourth year, after 2010, 2014 and 2015 that the cobbled roads have played a part in a Tour de France.
Van Avermaet admitted his first priority today will be riding for team leader Richie Porte.
“First we need to protect Richie but then I should be able to race,” said Van Avermaet of his expectations.