Ruben Plaza tames Sagan

Without Van Avermaet

The race started without Rodez stage winner Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), who returned home in Belgium for the birth of a child. On the gun, 29 riders broke clear, including green jersey holder Peter Sagan, again extremely active today. After 15 km, the leading group split in two groups of 12 riders. The first included Grivko (Astana), Riblon (AG2R), Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo),  De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Geschke (Giant Alpecin), Haller (Katusha), Jungels (Trek), Oliveira (Lampre), Plaza Molina (Lampre), Navarro (Cofidis), Fedrigo (Bretagne Séché), and Pauwels (MTN). The second was composed of Erviti (Movistar), Hansen (Lotto Soudal), Golas (Etixx), Trentin (Etixx), Voeckler (Europcar), Didier (Trek), Irizar (Trek),  Mate (Cofidis), Pantano (IAM), Perichon (Bretagne Séché), Boasson-Hagen and Teklehaimanot (MTN). Tailwind helped the average speed reach 53.6 kph in the first hour of the stage, too fast for British champion Peter Kennaugh, who called it quits.

Sagan collects points

Sagan collected the fruits of his efforts by taking the intermediate sprint without opposition, adding 20 points to his green jersey tally. After the sprint, the peloton relaxed while the chasers gained momentum and, while Laurent Didier was dropped, the two leading bunches regrouped at kilometre 105 leaving 23 riders in the lead. The gap kept increasing, reaching 13:00 at the top of 2nd-category Col de Cabre (Km 130), which saw Serge Pauwels (MTN) pick five points. At the back, Cauterets stage winner Rafal Majka crashed and hurt his left knee.

Plaza goes

Sagan imposed a hellish pace in the descent and irked his companions, who started attacking with 50 kms tp go. Ten kilometers later, Adam Hansen found an opening and went, quickly followed by Austrian champion Marco Haller. The two cooperated well but were quickly reeled in as soon as they tackled the final second category Col de Manse. Several attacks took place but experience helped Plaza launch the decisive move three kilometers from the summit. Despite a reckless descent, Sagan was never in position to make it back on the Spaniard, while Colombia Jarlinson Pantano finished third to gain some 18 minutes in the overall standings and move into the top 15. At the back, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali, who went on the last climb to warn Chris Froome before the rest day, attacked in turn to try an upset the yellow jersey. Geraint Thomas, 6th overall, suffered a spectacular crash in a turn in the descent but escaped unhurt.