Here we go. Last stage of the Tour de France 2016. The famous trip on the Champs Elysees. Andy brought the shirt here and no one will attack him. This is how you play the stage. The sprinters will get their last opportunity to take a stage and maybe the most prestigious one. Would be a good stage for Degenkolb to take his 1st TdF stage this season really. At least Mohs delivered for Pokerstars while Bewley and Swift both won more than once and count as favourites today even though they lost all or parts of their leadout riders.
Advantage Pokerstars clearly.
151 riders made it to Paris. Quite a few abandons but the 3rd week mountains were too difficult for many of them.
Andy Schleck in the Maillot Jaune behind his team mates and loyal helpers Goos, Aru, Suaza, Kirsch as also the joy to celebrate together with his brother Frank plus Bob Jungels, who wasn`t seen a lot but also made it to Paris! Surely the champagne bottles will be opened soon.
It was a calm race until Paris. Then with the Champs Elysees in the far background and while passing the Eiffel Tower, a group of 4 have attacked trying to show their sponsors and make the life of the sprinters a bit harder. Dees Mollema Morizot Sørensen
With several riders down in numbers Becherovka, Aegon and Pokerstars have problems to organize the real chase. Sakalou, Bennett and already Mohs have to work keeping the gap at 2min.
The Champs Elysees is reached and on the cobbles Mollema and Sorensen have lost contact. The 3 weeks in their legs and a bit of wind today make it a tough final stage.
Pokerstars for now not willed to let Mohs work too much and hence Sakalou and now Koep for Aegon are working alone. By keeping it at 2min, it seems to work for Pokerstars.
44km remaining and Morizot goes solo as Dees also can`t follow. Only 1min for them though as Boom is powering at the front and thanks to Vesuvio, which also send Suaza and Frank Schleck to the first rows they are nicely supported.
Danacik, Koep, König, Boom, Sakalou. Surely you could find a worse lineup for the chasing work on a last day. The gap to the two in front is tiny and a sprint is very likely.
15km and all riders are caught. Pokerstars and Aegon make the trains today as Bewley has no helper left and hence is sitting behind them.
KoM winner Keizer in the front now doing an incredible pace. In fact all 6 Aegon riders in the first 10 positions taking care of a perfect finish for Swift.
Keizer
Boom
Faiers
Bennett
Kluge
Koep
Swift
Mohs
Sbaragli
Degenkolb
Ponzi
Bewley
Boeckmans
Phinney
Bakelants
Vantomme
Demare
Chen
Vastaranta
Ignatiev
The top GC riders all in between those gaps such as Schleck, Spilak, Taaramae, Dombrowski trying to avoid any crash or split this way.
Using a climber like Bennett as first leadout sucks. Aegon will notice as well now as they can`t match the pace of Kluge for Pokerstars. Mohs and Degenkolb still behind him.
Bewely smartly knew this and is next to Degenkolb with Vantomme and Ponzi behind him and the always up there Chen is also still showing his positioning skills being in the mix with Demare, Boeckmans, Bakelants next with a small gap.
Though using Kluge for too long is also not ideal as he struggles to keep the pace up and with Sbaragli in front now for Aegon and the inner side of the corner, it`s side by side again.
All the later sprinters see the fast pace behind Swift and get this position with Boeckmans, Demare, Vastaranta in the first positions.
Flamme Rouge reached and Swift had to go early as Sbaragli delivered him into a perfect position but wasn`t able to keep the pace then for any longer.
Boeckmans right behind with Mohs coming on the other side now with Degenkolb still behind.
Demare, Bewley, Ponzi, Vantomme all in the mix as well.
Degenkolb...no words for this. Again Mohs the stronger sprinter easily and he is gapping his leader now going for himself.
Swift still in front but Ponzi is attacking him now. Apparently the Italian has recovered the best from the mountains.
Bewley, Boeckmans and Demare also in attack mode now.
500m and Swift slowly losing it with Ponzi going slightly faster.
Though bigger danger might come from Bewley who is coming on his left now.
Demare also fast behind with Boeckmans slowly losing his pace just like Mohs.
Boeckmans sits up. No chance.
Same for Swift, who is still going though but lost to all three of the others. Bewley in front now with Demare attacking him.
But it`s enough. Bewley takes yet another stage! Best sprinter in last 2 weeks, while Swift dominated the first week.
Demare in 2nd ahead of Ponzi and Swift. Point wise Bewley is passing Swift now for best sprinter but they are still behind the stage racers as Phinney, Schleck and Spilak take the highest steps there as all scored small points today.
Phinney in 7th even today behind a late Degenkolb and Boeckmans. Congrats on winning the green jersey to RBC!
And even bigger congrats to Andy Schleck for winning yet another GT being the first in history to take the TdF a second time! Well done! Next to him Spilak with yet another podium here and just behind Taaramae and Dombrowski as also Kritskiy.
The wind has opened some gaps here when the pace upped late. Some riders are losing a bit of time today but no real GC relevant gaps. LLS only is losing one spot to Barguil in the top20. Other than that no significant changes and no crashes luckily.
