Greipel survives climb and crosswinds to win third Tour stage
Tour de France 2012 stage 13 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>
André Greipel won his third stage of the Tour de France, pipping Peter Sagan in a thinned down bunch sprint in Cap d'Agde.
The short steep climb of Mont Saint Clair, followed by 20km of cross- and head-winds to the finish, ended the chances for all the sprinters except those two. It was never in doubt that the lunge for the line would be between them; in the end, Greipel's lunge was better timed that Sagan's.
The win puts Greipel level on stage wins with Sagan, although the Slovak's lead in the green jersey competition at 64 looks even more comfortable as Orica-GreenEdge's Matt Goss was one of the sprinters who couldn't stand the pace today.
The sprint finish came courtesy of race leader Bradley Wiggins who hit the front in the last 500 metres to lead-out teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen. It's a rare sight to see the yellow jersey lead out the sprint, but Wiggins, perhaps keen to repay all of Boasson Hagen's work in the mountains, lined out the small bunch and flew past two late escapees.
Boasson Hagen though had to start his sprint too early and realistically never looked sharp enough. The lead-out was actually only part of the story as Team Sky made a conscious effort to stay at the front both in the tricky final stages and on the climb of Saint Mont Clair.
The third cat climb at 23 kilometres to go made the bunch nervous a) because of its steep sections and b) because everyone knew there were strong crosswinds blowing the other side of it. Had a favourite been caught out on the climb a desperate chase would have ensued.
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Cadel Evans had made a move on the climb, going after Katusha's Giampaolo Caruso. Initially he got a good gap and there was the potential for danger as the narrow roads - made narrower by the spectators - allowed little room for manoeuvre for any rider caught out of position.
But Wiggins didn't panic, riding himself across the gap, in the saddle spinning a small gear as smoothly as he always did when racing on the track. Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali and Jurgen Van den Broeck were on his wheel and the Evans threat was nullified as quickly as it had appeared.
The tussles at the front did, however, finish the chances for Mark Cavendish today. The world champion was dropped on the steep slopes and with no team mates around him, he sat up and let the race go. Matt Goss, who is yet to get a stage win at the Tour, also missed out despite his teammates having done a lot of work today.
Had the wind not been blowing the pair would have probably made contact with the leaders after the descent, but just the threat of a crosswind is enough to speed a peloton as everyone tries to move to the front to avoid being caught behind a split.
At one point in the last five kilometres the peloton was only 25 riders strong as Lotto chased Alexandre Vinokourov and Michael Albasini on the exposed roads. The pair never got more than 20 seconds lead, but a sizeable group of riders were put in difficulty because of the chase.
The pair weren't strong enough to hold on, and late change in direction brought the two groups back together. Once the wind was behind the riders it made life easier for everyone, lessened the urgency and guaranteed a bunch sprint.
After his lead-out effort Wiggins climbed on to the podium to pull on his seventh yellow jersey. With each day he looks more and more suited to one of the most famed colours in world sport.
Result
Tour de France 2012 stage 13. Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - le Cap d'Agde 217km
1. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol in 4-57-59
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
4. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
5. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge
6. Simon Julien (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
7. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM
8. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing
9. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickste
10. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-ISD all at st
British
12. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky at st
15. Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky at st
67. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Sky at 8-36
133. David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Sharp at 14-04
141. Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing at 14-04
General classification after stage 13
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
Stage 13 escape group
David Millar has a snack
Race leader Bradley Wiggins kept himself near the front, out of harm's way
Andre Greipel wins his third 2012 Tour stage
Tour de France 2012: Latest news
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 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 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
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