A year after being eliminated from the Tour de France, world champion Peter Sagan returned to the top of the standings on Sunday.
The Slovakian was eliminated from the fourth stage 12 months ago after deliberately colliding with Mark Cavendish in a speed race, but he won it in a clean way this time, beating Italy's Sonny Coulberly and Frenchman Arno Dimar, both second and third respectively.
"It was a perfect day," said Sagan, who previously wore the yellow shirt (worn by the leaders) in 2016. I was scared because Sony was coming close to me. This is a very good start. I returned strongly. "
Colombian Fernando Gaviria, who won the opening stage on Saturday, suffered a near-end collision and could not compete in the final leg.
Marcel Kittel, who won 14 stages of his career in the French race, suffered a hole in the frame eight kilometers from the finish line and could not return to the front in time.
Only a few of the runners were caught in the race after an accident that caused the group to split and suffered from Gaviria and Australian Michael Matthews.
Demar attacked 250 meters from the finish line, but Sagan made it easy in front of him before holding onto Colbrilli's attempt in the final meters.
Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez, the four-stage winner of the race, withdrew after a possible shoulder injury in an accident 37 kilometers on the end.
Chris Fromm, who lost 51 seconds to his top title rivals after Saturday's incident, finished second without problems with the main group.
At the start of the stage, French fans shouted booing at the British rider, who hopes to be the first to win the Italian and French races since Marco Pantani in 1998.
Frum was acquitted of any wrongdoing after falling into a doping test after high rates of asthma medication in his urine sample, but local fans greeted the champion four times in booing on Thursday.
Ethiopia's Tsjabu Garmay became the first rider to leave the race after a stomach problem.
The Slovakian was eliminated from the fourth stage 12 months ago after deliberately colliding with Mark Cavendish in a speed race, but he won it in a clean way this time, beating Italy's Sonny Coulberly and Frenchman Arno Dimar, both second and third respectively.
"It was a perfect day," said Sagan, who previously wore the yellow shirt (worn by the leaders) in 2016. I was scared because Sony was coming close to me. This is a very good start. I returned strongly. "
Colombian Fernando Gaviria, who won the opening stage on Saturday, suffered a near-end collision and could not compete in the final leg.
Marcel Kittel, who won 14 stages of his career in the French race, suffered a hole in the frame eight kilometers from the finish line and could not return to the front in time.
Only a few of the runners were caught in the race after an accident that caused the group to split and suffered from Gaviria and Australian Michael Matthews.
Demar attacked 250 meters from the finish line, but Sagan made it easy in front of him before holding onto Colbrilli's attempt in the final meters.
Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez, the four-stage winner of the race, withdrew after a possible shoulder injury in an accident 37 kilometers on the end.
Chris Fromm, who lost 51 seconds to his top title rivals after Saturday's incident, finished second without problems with the main group.
At the start of the stage, French fans shouted booing at the British rider, who hopes to be the first to win the Italian and French races since Marco Pantani in 1998.
Frum was acquitted of any wrongdoing after falling into a doping test after high rates of asthma medication in his urine sample, but local fans greeted the champion four times in booing on Thursday.
Ethiopia's Tsjabu Garmay became the first rider to leave the race after a stomach problem.
source
No comments