Geraint Thomas, noble helpers of defending champion Chris Froome in the British Sky Team that wins the second mountain stage of the Tour de France and slips into the Yellow Jersey. For Froome, the eleventh part of the piece is perfect.
Watch the Video
01:14
Now live
01:14 Min.
Share
Froome-precious helper Thomas wins stage 11
Send
google+
Tumblr
VZ
Mr. Wong
Newsvine
Digg
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/31ikl
Froome-precious helper Thomas wins stage 11
With an impressive demonstration of power the British Team Sky has the competition on the 11. Stage of the Tour de France in shock and his Co-captain Geraint Thomas in the Yellow Jersey hoisted. The Cycling team of defending champion Chris Froome parried the attacks of the main rivals, so that Thomas was able to secure the day’s victory ahead of co-favourite Tom Dumoulin from Team Sunweb and Froome. The powerful Sky team substantiated the claim the sixth Tour Triumph in seven years.
Two Sky riders at the top of the standings
Thomas took over after 108,5 kilometers to the ski resort of La Rosière, the Yellow Jersey from Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team), as expected, far back and fell. “To win on the mountain is something Special. I did not expect to. I just followed my instinct,” said Thomas of the TV channel “Eurosport”: “I had to go on to the victory. It would have been stupid to do it.”
The 32-year-old Thomas was briefly tightened before the end of the stage, once again, the pace and 300 meters before the finish overtook the until then leading Spaniard Mikel Nieve (mitchelton-Scott). The new leader in the overall standings with a lead of 1:25 minutes on his British compatriot Froome and 1:44 minutes on the Dutchman Dumoulin in the final of the Alps-part piece on Thursday with three climbs of the highest category. The stage ends with the legendary and spectacular ascent to L’alpe d’huez.
Place in the day’s standings, Second in the General classification – Chris Froome is ready for Yellow
Bardet, Nibali and Quintana will lose valuable time
The Dutchman Dumoulin, the Second of this year’s Giro d’italia behind Froome, and was able to keep up as one of the top drivers with the Sky-Stars. Other podium candidates, such as the Frenchman, Romain, and the Italian, Vincenzo Nibali, and the Colombian Nairo Quintana lost on the first mountain of the Tour arrival Bardet, however, less than a Minute on Thomas. Especially Quintana’s Moviestarplanet Team had first taken the Initiative. The Spaniard Alejandro Valverde pulled out temporarily a lead of two minutes and could dream of from the first Yellow Jersey after a ten year break. However, at the beginning of the final slope of the 38 caught up with-Year-old again.
Then, the Sky Team dominated the decisive Phase of the stage. Exciting will be, if Thomas more of that than the noble helper Froomes. “If it comes down to it, I’ll let Chris go first,” said the Welshman. “Chris Froome is still our captain.” In L’alpe d’huez, you will see clearer.
Kittel too slow
Late goal: Marcel Kittel
Disappointment was expressed, however, in the case of Germany’s Sprint Star Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin), which rolled more than a half-hour after the winner over the Goal, therefore, is outside the time limit remained, and in accordance with the regulations of the race was taken. A weak Tour, this time without the stage victory, the 30-Year-old a bitter end. Kittel has won in his career so far, 14 Tour stages, alone, five in the past year. “It’s been hard and disappointing. Now I’m for the first Time from the time limit flew, I think, in General, a cycle race,” said Kittel of the ARD: “The stage was very, very extreme. She has brought each to the Limit, just the heavy people like me. I’ve given it my Best.” Also, the British Ex-world champion Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) and his Australian team-mate Mark Renshaw was disqualified due to a timeout.