LA PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES: Bradley Wiggins took possession of the
Tour de France race leader’s yellow jersey after a dominant performance
from Team Sky on Saturday, capped by a stage seven success for his super
doméstique and countryman Chris Froome.
Wiggins was third on the 199kilometre route from Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles as Froome triumphed by two seconds from defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing).
The result saw Wiggins become the fifth Briton to don the maillot jaune and the first since David Millar in 2000.
Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) won the opening prologue in Liège last Saturday and entered the seventh stage with an advantage of seven seconds over Wiggins, with Evans 10 seconds further adrift, but crumbled, finishing almost two minutes behind.
Sunday’s 157.5km eighth stage from Belfort to Porrentruy, Switzerland, features seven categorised climbs, but Wiggins, Evans and Froome may wait until Monday’s 41.5km time-trial to Besançon to shake up the general classification further.
The overall standings showed Wiggins in possession of a 10second lead over Evans, with Vincenzo Nibali 16 seconds adrift in third and Froome up to ninth, one minute 32 seconds adrift.
MASTERCLASS
Wiggins was third on the 199kilometre route from Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles as Froome triumphed by two seconds from defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing).
The result saw Wiggins become the fifth Briton to don the maillot jaune and the first since David Millar in 2000.
Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) won the opening prologue in Liège last Saturday and entered the seventh stage with an advantage of seven seconds over Wiggins, with Evans 10 seconds further adrift, but crumbled, finishing almost two minutes behind.
Sunday’s 157.5km eighth stage from Belfort to Porrentruy, Switzerland, features seven categorised climbs, but Wiggins, Evans and Froome may wait until Monday’s 41.5km time-trial to Besançon to shake up the general classification further.
The overall standings showed Wiggins in possession of a 10second lead over Evans, with Vincenzo Nibali 16 seconds adrift in third and Froome up to ninth, one minute 32 seconds adrift.
MASTERCLASS
It was a tactical masterclass from Team Sky, who for the first
time have a rider leading the most prestigious race in cycling.
The day’s seven-man escape was caught on the lower slopes of the 5.9km finishing ascent to La Planches des Belles Filles, with Team Sky squad leading the peloton.
Team Sky were to the fore throughout the day – with the world champion Mark Cavendish performing a team role by retrieving bottles from the team car – and the tempo they set up the final climb whittled down the overall contenders.
Christian Knees and Edvald Boasson Hagen led the British squad to the lower slopes of the final climb and Michael Rogers took over, before Richie Porte forged on.
When Porte had done his turn, Froome maintained the pace, with Wiggins on his wheel and Evans shadowing him throughout.
The relentless pace reduced the group to five, Froome followed by Wiggins, Evans, Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Rein Taaramae (Cofidis).
Australian Evans accelerated away with one kilometre to go and Froome, Wiggins and Nibali went with him.
Froome then summoned the energy to overtake Evans and dart for the
line for a stunning first Tour stage win. There was an even greater
prize for Wiggins, who justified his preTour favourite billing after
wins in the Paris-Nice, Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphiné stage
races.
The day’s seven-man escape was caught on the lower slopes of the 5.9km finishing ascent to La Planches des Belles Filles, with Team Sky squad leading the peloton.
Team Sky were to the fore throughout the day – with the world champion Mark Cavendish performing a team role by retrieving bottles from the team car – and the tempo they set up the final climb whittled down the overall contenders.
Christian Knees and Edvald Boasson Hagen led the British squad to the lower slopes of the final climb and Michael Rogers took over, before Richie Porte forged on.
When Porte had done his turn, Froome maintained the pace, with Wiggins on his wheel and Evans shadowing him throughout.
The relentless pace reduced the group to five, Froome followed by Wiggins, Evans, Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Rein Taaramae (Cofidis).
Australian Evans accelerated away with one kilometre to go and Froome, Wiggins and Nibali went with him.
Froome then summoned the energy to overtake Evans and dart for the
line for a stunning first Tour stage win. There was an even greater
prize for Wiggins, who justified his preTour favourite billing after
wins in the Paris-Nice, Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphiné stage
races.
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