Fedrigo wins Tour stage 15 on day off for peloton

Pierrick Fedrigo wins, Tour de France 2012, stage 16

Tour de France 2012 stage 15 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

Pierrick Fedrigo has won the 15th stage of the Tour de France after the breakaway succeeded on a flat stage into Pau seemingly made for the sprinters. 

The FDJ-BigMat rider made it into the successful escape of six and easily out-dragged Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Sharp) to the line after the two shook off their companions. 

The win is the second for the FDJ team and the fourth for a Frenchman in the 2012 Tour on a day when bunch rolled in over 11 minutes down. 

It was made all the more special for Fedrigo, whose 2011 season was blighted by Lyme's Disease, as his last win in the Tour came two years ago into the same town.

Andre Greipel led the bunch home for seventh place after another Lotto-Belisol leadout, although Peter Sagan looks comfortable in green after picking up a batch of points in the intermediate sprint and sticking with the German in the final dash to the line. 

With no change in the GC the contenders and their teams will now remain in Pau for the final rest day of the Tour before the queen Pyrenean stage of this year's race rears its head on Wednesday.

Taking it easy before the rest day

It is not without good reason that the Sky team bus has been nicknamed the 'Death Star' after the omnipotent galactical space station of science fiction fame. Once again the British team were charged with controlling the race although a fast and furious first hour saw them resort to somewhat unconventional tactics. 

Both Edvald Boassan Hagen and Bernhard Eisel could be seen with their arms outstretched at the head of the peloton, pleading with the more aggressive riders to let the break go and give the bunch a chance to slow. 

Whether or not it was their place to do so, try telling the riders in the 14 teams without a stage win in this year's Tour not to go on the attack. It took until the 62km mark for a final five to finally escape, although Nicki Sorensen needed a few more miles to finally bridge up and make it six.

Working well together they quickly built up a lead of six minutes as neither Sky nor the pure sprinters' teams of Lotto-Belisol or Orica-GreenEdge were willing to give chase on the day before the final rest day.

At 20km to go, six had turned to 11 minutes and it was clear the winner would come from the break. After a few skirmishes Fedrigo made the strongest move with Vande Velde latched onto his wheel. 

Once the four behind had given up the chase it was all but certain the Frenchman would beat his American rival, and the FDJ man duly obliged.

Results

Tour de France 2012, stage 15: Samatan - Pau, 158.5km

1. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-BigMat in 3-36-34

2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Sharp s.t.

3. Nicki Sorensen (Den) SaxoBank-Tinkoff Bank at 12 secs

4. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Europcar s.t.

5. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep at 21 secs

6. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis at 1-08

7. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol at 11-50

8. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp s.t.

9. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale s.t.

10. Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM s.t.

Overall classification after stage 15

1. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky in 59-32-32

2. Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky at 2-05

3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 2-23

4. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing at 3-19

5. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto-Belisol at 4-48

6. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Radioshack-Nissan at 6-15

7. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing at 6-57

8. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana at 7-30

9. Pierre Rolland (Fra) Europcar at 8-31

10. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ-BigMat at 8-51

Pierrick Fedrigo wins in Pau

Bradley Wiggins pulls on the yellow jersey, his lead unchallenged for another day

Tour de France 2012: Latest news

Evans suffers multiple punctures after Tour tack attack

Froome: Not winning this year's Tour is 'very great sacrifice'

Frank Schleck criticises 'boring' Tour de France

Wiggins: Cycling's new 'boss'?

Wiggins still Sky's main man as Tour heads towards Pyrenees

Millar's Tour win comes after 'second chance'

Froome explains his attack on La Toussuire

Nibali fails to crack Sky but pleased with Tour mountains performance

Roche ready to achieve career-long Tour top ten ambition

Wiggins: 'I'm not some s**t rider that's come from nowhere

Nibali hits out at Wiggins after Tour frustration

Cavendish enjoying new Tour role

Wiggins taking nothing for granted in 'dream scenario'

Sky keeping Tour focus on Wiggins

Di Gregorio arrested by police at Tour de France

Tour de France 2012: Teams, riders, start list

Tour 2012: Who will win?

Tour de France 2012 provisional start list

Tour de France 2012 team list

Tour de France 2012: Stage reports

Stage 14: Sanchez solos to Foix victory to save Rabobank's Tour

Stage 13: Greipel survives climb and crosswinds to win third Tour stage

Stage 12: Millar wins Tour stage nine years from his last

Stage 11: Wiggins strengthens Tour lead as Evans slips back

Stage 10: Voeckler wins and saves his Tour

Stage nine: Wiggins destroys opposition in Besancon TT

Stage eight: Pinot solos to Tour win as Wiggins fights off attacks

Stage seven: Wiggins takes yellow as Froome wins stage

Stage six: Sagan wins third Tour stage

Stage five: Greipel wins again as Cavendish fades

Stage four: Greipel wins stage after Cavendish crashes

Stage three: Sagan runs away with it in Boulogne

Stage two: Cavendish takes 21st Tour stage victory

Stage one: Sagan wins at first attempt

Prologue: Cancellara wins, Wiggins second

Tour de France 2012: Comment, analysis, blogs

Analysis: What we learned at La Planche des Belles Filles

Analysis: How much time could Wiggins gain in Tour's time trials

CW's Tour de France podcasts

Blog: Tour presentation - chasing dreams and autographs

Comment: Cavendish the climber

Tour de France 2012: Photo galleries

Stage 14 gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 13 by Graham Watson

Stage 12 by Graham Watson

Stage 11 by Graham Watson

Stage 10 by Graham Watson

Stage nine by Graham Watson

Stage eight by Graham Watson

Stage seven by Graham Watson

Stage six by Graham Watson

Stage five by Graham Watson

Stage four by Graham Watson

Stage three by Graham Watson

Stage two by Andy Jones

Stage two by Graham Watson

Stage one by Graham Watson

Prologue photo gallery by Andy Jones

Prologue photo gallery by Roo Rowler

Prologue photo gallery by Graham Watson

Tour de France 2012: Team presentation

Sky and Rabobank Tour de France recce

Tour de France 2012: Live text coverage

Stage 10 live coverage

Stage nine live coverage

Stage six live coverage

Stage five live coverage

Stage four live coverage

Stage three live coverage

Cycling Weekly's live text coverage schedule

Tour de France 2012: TV schedule

ITV4 live schedule

British Eurosport live schedule

Tour de France 2012: Related links

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish

Brief history of the Tour de France

Tour de France 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

1989: The Greatest Tour de France ever

 

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Richard Abraham is an award-winning writer, based in New Zealand. He has reported from major sporting events including the Tour de France and Olympic Games, and is also a part-time travel guide who has delivered luxury cycle tours and events across Europe. In 2019 he was awarded Writer of the Year at the PPA Awards.