Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) continued his most successful Tour de France since his debut in 2012 by taking his third stage victory in a very close sprint in the Swiss capital of Bern. With a perfectly timed bike throw, he narrowly beat Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) who initially thought that he had won while Sondre Holst Enger (IAM) made it a big day for the Norwegians by taking third. Chris Froome (Sky) finished safely and goes into the rest day with his lead intact.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Peter Sagan: Maybe Kristoff was the strongest but he made mistake

The last stage before the last rest day of the Tour de France – this was the last chance for the sprinters before the Champs Élysées on Sunday. Looking to take a hat-trick of stage wins, the UCI World Champion, Peter Sagan battled with his rivals on the hard finale in Berne to take the stage win by a tyre’s width, while Roman Kreuziger finished with the same time in the bunch to hold onto his 11th spot in the GC, ready for the last few days in the mountains.

 

Ten kilometres into the stage and the break of the day escaped – managing to stay out in front for most of the day. On such a long and arduous stage in such warm weather, the peloton was in no hurry to chase the pair down – although this didn’t stop the team working hard and upping the pace to deliver Peter Sagan to the intermediate sprint at 167km, who was first from the bunch to collect the remaining points to add to his green jersey total. With only the end of the stage to contest, the peloton reeled in the last member of the break, and the race was on for the finish.

 

High speeds and a winding street circuit were the theme of the final 10km as the race entered Berne. While the streets were beautiful and picturesque, riders had to contend with cobbles and tight turns, in addition to the high pace. Attacks came as the puncheurs tried to get away and deny the pure sprinters, and on the final drag just before the flamme rouge, the effort was showing on the faces of the riders. Sagan was still looking strong however, and with an immensely strong finish, he took the win in the bunch sprint by a tyre’s width to extend his lead in the Green Jersey contest and to take his tally of wins in this year’s race to three.

After such a hard-fought contest for the win, Sagan was thrilled with the outcome.

 

“I am so happy, so proud of my team as they did a very good job, I'm so happy to win for them, for Tinkoff and for Oleg. A lot of times I lose the race by this much and today I won. I believe in destiny and today it's turning back. There are fans here from Telekom Slovakia and it's very nice they can be here to see me and cheer for me today. Fans came here from Slovakia and it is very nice that they could come here to see me and to cheer for me. I have some fans in Switzerland, too."

 

With such a close finish, it took some time before he found that he’d won the stage after a photo finish review.

 

“It was a very long stage, very hot and my teammates did a great job and pulled all day because we knew the final was good for me. I'm so happy and proud of my team because they did a very good job. My teammates rode all day, as did those of Katusha and I thank them. We're in the third week so you can't say who's the best for a finish like this but I did my best and I think Alexander made a mistake in the jump for the line - I didn't know I'd won, it's was a nice surprise today.

 

"I was not waiting for the results, I thought I was second until they came and told me I had won. I just knew that I had to stay close to the podium for the presentation of the green jersey. It's unbelievable. After so many times finishing 2nd… The wheel turns. I want to thank my team for the work they did all day. Then it was a crazy finale, very technical. Everyone wanted to be in my wheel. I think Kristoff made a mistake in the sprint. He jumped very late and that's how I won.

 

"You can see from the final picture. I've lost a lot of times, like this, by a very small piece of tyre but today I was lucky. Alexander just made his dive for the line very late, but I went before. When throw your bike at the line, first of all you have to pull your bike back. At that moment on the line, he was pulling the bike back and I was throwing mine forward.  That does not make me a better rider than him today. Alexander was perhaps stronger than me 

 

"I believe in destiny.  One year is not good, but I can't say last year or two years ago was bad. I got a lot of second places and didn't win, but that's sport. Sometimes everything goes well and then you have a period when it goes worse. But we have to enjoy it. This year was unbelievable for me and for sure I'm happy that I can win.”

 

Sagan also commented on the stage finishing in Cancellara’s home city

 

"When I won my first stage of the Tour de France, I was young and I wanted to win. He won the prologue, he was in the yellow jersey. At that time I was a young rider in the peloton. We went in the breakaway together and I said I want to beat you and win a stage of the Tour de France. Maybe he was angry at that time with me because I was young and that.

 

"Fabian is a big name in the cycling and for sure he will be also a legend. Like, he already is a legend in cycling.

 

”If there had been a breakaway in which he attempted to go, he would have had a chance. In the finale, it was more difficult because all the sprint teams were working. It was fast, it was not possible to attack and it was not dangerous. I think he wanted this victory in Berne but he has worked for two weeks for Mollema, even on the Ventoux, and I think the fatigue undoubtedly played a role for him.”

 

Technical Director Ivan Basso added:

 

"It was an incredible victory, it says absolutely everything about Peter's riding today. We prepared for this type of finale, he's the world champion and a champion every time. Peter didn't speak too much this morning. It was one of our goals for the Tour, and it all worked really well."

 

Sport Director, Steven De Jongh, was full of praise for how the team had pulled together to enable Sagan to contest the win.

 

“It was a brilliant day for the team today. The guys did really well - Martin was out there with Alaphilippe and Martin is not an easy guy to chase so we joined the other teams to give them a hand as we had confidence in Peter for the finish. In his final jump he did really well, and it was an amazing finish. He's a real champion. Roman was also up there and did a good job as it was really hectic on the run-in so he had to move up from a little further back but he was there at the end.”

Having performed so strongly on yesterday’s mountain stage, Rafal Majka was pleased to be part of such a well-performing team.

 

“Yesterday I was second and today Peter wins, for us it's great and we have three stage wins in the Tour de France and two jerseys right now so I'm happy. We don't have our big leader in Alberto here but we still give everything and it's another very good result. It might be our last season but we do our best still and when we have good condition we try to win everything. I think it was a nice finish for Peter today - he had strong legs and was very impressive in the sprint. For me, I went easy in the last 5km as I had a hard day yesterday and there are some big climbing days to come.”

 

Ahead of the rest day, De Jongh was confident in the team’s performances and was looking ahead to the final days of the race.

 

“The green jersey feels like it's more secure after today and we also have the polka dot jersey, which is nice to defend over the last week. Tomorrow it's the rest day, and the boys will have a spin and a good lunch and get some sleep and massage before the last days here.”

 

Alexander Kristoff laments costly mistake of not seeing the finish line

It was a day Team KATUSHA and Alexander Kristoff had looked to for possible victory, and everything looked good as the Norwegian sprinter crossed the line in Bern. But the photo finish showed that world champion Peter Sagan had just edged out Alexander for the win, leaving Kristoff with a second second-place sprint performance and his fifth top 5 finish in the 103rd Tour de France.

 

”I felt I had it but I was sprinting at my maximum and I didn’t really see the line until it was too late so my bike throw was also too late. Maybe that made the decision, I don’t know. It was a fast day. My team worked well to place me in the front and I tried but this finish was very hard and I was on the limit. It’s disappointing of course to be so close for the win, and to not get it. I thought I had it with 10m to go and I thought I had it even after the line, but I was not sure,” said Alexander Kristoff.

 

"It was a fast day, and my team worked well with the pacing on the front. I tried my best, but the finish was really hard and I was just on the limit.

 

"Normally I was first today but I saw the line a little bit too late and you can see at the finish I'm not even throwing my bike. It's a pity because normally I'd have it.

 

"It was a mistake from me because I was looking too long down and suddenly I look up and I was on the finish line."

 

"If I throw the bike I think I'd be in front. It was very hard. For me it was a little bit too tough. I was on the limit for me so that's why I was not looking either because I was so on the limit. Suddenly I just sprinted with everything I had and I was past the line already.

 

"Normally I thought I should win today but I was too late throwing the bike and Sagan timed his throw perfectly.

 

“I thought that the finish might be too hard for me but it went well. I started my sprint at the right time, perhaps a little early following Valverde who launched the sprint. But I failed by a few centimeters.”

 

Coming into the closing meters, Kristoff jumped onto the wheel of Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde with Sagan just behind him. He then moved to the middle of the course and opened up his sprint, only to be beaten by the throw on the line.

 

”I was in the perfect position. That final climb was difficult but I survived and took the wheel of Michael Matthews. When he stopped his sprint, I chose the wheel of another. There was one Movistar coming from behind with 200m to go and I managed to jump on his wheel. I think I had Sagan on my wheel and at the end I thought I had him behind me but he just managed to jump past me in the last 15 meters. Actually I could not have done anything different, except I could have thrown my bike a little bit better. I think that was decisive,” said a disappointed Alexander Kristoff.

 

"Now there's only one sprint left but it’s an easy one.”

 

Sports director Jose Azevedo told Eurosport:

 

"It's disappointing to have lost the sprint by such a small margin. It was an incredible victory for Sagan - more a win for Sagan than a loss for Kristoff.

 

"At the beginning we were really happy and celebrating because we thought we had the win. Then, it started to filter through that we hadn't. It was disappointing. The organisers were saying Sagan had won and Kristoff was second. We lost by a tiny little margin.

 

"The team has worked really hard since the beginning of the Tour and right at the end we lost by a few millimeters. That's cycling, that's sport, and so we have another chance in Paris and hopefully Kristoff can win on the Champs-Elysees. Tomorrow is a new day, we'll have to think about Paris now and have a rest tomorrow.

 

"It's going to be very hard after the rest day because we go to the mountains."

 

“It’s not a good feeling at all to have it so close like today. Being second is never a pleasant feeling. We were looking forward to this day and talking about this day for awhile and prepared for this day, then we missed it by one centimeter. If you analyze the image of the photo finish, you can clearly see that Alex missed the line, as he was still pushing the bike instead of throwing it – at the same instance Sagan is already throwing,” analyzed team manager Viacheslav Ekimov.

 

KATUSHA’s Joaquim Rodriguez is in 13th place. The race now goes into the Alps.

 

“I think we still have some chances with Ilnur [Zakarin]; I believe in him. And also Joaquim although because he still sits close to the top 10 it makes it hard for him to do something, especially it excludes him from going in a breakaway to try something. But Ilnur is in real good shape and he can go from a breakaway and do the race from there like he tried yesterday,” concluded Ekimov.

 

Breakthrough third place for Sondre Holst Enger ”with undeniable qualities”

Sondre Holst Enger took an impressive third place in the 16th stage of the Tour de France:

 

“I am so happy with this podium place!

 

“The guys did an amazing job for me in the final. I found myself in an ideal position at the point where I had to launch my sprint.  And not much was missing in order to score another success after Jarlinson Pantano won the stage in Culoz.

 

”I am very satisfied. I have a third placein the Tour de France. That was what I was slightly hopinf for. I felt very good in the sprint. I was afraid I was blocked, but I found a gap. The acceleration was there but I was a little too far back to win.

 

”This is the highlight of my career. A third place in the biggest race in the world makes me very pleased.

 

Rik Verbrugghe, sports manager for IAM Cycling, said:

 

“We succeeded in having a great finale on our home turf. And our sprinter Sondre Holst Enger, who was perfectly supported by his teammates, succeeded himself in matching the world’s best.  At just 22, he is a very promising rider because when you can manage to stay in the top ten of the peloton in the last five kilometers of a race like this, then you have undeniable qualities.”

 

John Degenkolb: I had the power to win

Giant-Alpecin ensured John Degenkolb was well protected as the peloton was gradually whittled down on the punishing parcours.

 

Inside the final kilometre, it was a very select group that hit the cobblestone section. Warren Barguil did a great lead-out for Degenkolb and he managed to sprint to fourth place in a very close finish. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) took the stage win beating Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) by centimeters in the sprint.

 

John Degenkolb said:

 

“In the finale I got boxed in against the right-hand side barriers. It’s unfortunate because I really had the power but I just didn’t make anything out of it. I’m happy that I was up there competing in the sprint and that shows that I am progressing in the right direction.

 

“Warren did an unbelievable job in the finale to put me in a good position and I am very thankful to him. Overall, it was a very strong performance from the whole team and I am very proud.”

 

Coach Marc Reef added:

 

“It was a very fast stage with only two guys in the breakaway but the pace was really fast in the peloton. It wasn’t easy to control the race but in the end it all came together. The finale was extremely difficult but the team, especially Warren, did a great job in setting up John in the last kilometer. John was able to sprint to a top result and we are very happy with the outcome.”

 

Solid top 5 for Michael Matthews, Yates looks forward

Michael Matthews pitted himself against the worlds fastest men on stage 16 of the Tour de France today, finishing in 5th place whilst ORICA-BikeExchangeteammate Adam Yates holds on to the White Jersey and third overall.

 

A long and hot 209kilometre stage followed a two-man breakaway for most of the day before a fast and technical sprint decided the stage in Bern, Switzerland.

 

Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) won the sprint with stage ten winner Matthews a bike length behind in 5th place.

White Jersey holder Yates still leads the best young rider category and remains third on the general classification going into tomorrow’s rest day after finishing safely near the front of the peloton.

 

Sport director Matt White was happy with the performances and position of the team as they look forward to a well deserved rest day.

 

“It was a very fast stage today,” said White. “The tailwind helped out the breakaway which in turn made things a little more comfortable in the bunch.

 

“We were able to work out relatively early which teams were looking to control things and that provided more respite than anticipated.

 

“It was a good effort from Michael (Matthews) in the sprint after a very nervous run in. There was more road furniture to contend with and lots of teams worried about getting caught the wrong side of the split over those two small final ascents.

 

“Adam (Yates) finished safely in the front group and after a great two weeks of racing so far we are looking forward to tomorrow’s rest day with the hardest days of the Tour still to come.”

 

"It was pretty fast today… It took 50 or 60 kilometres for the break to get away,” Yates said. “Everyone wanted to go, there were lots of attacks and I think we kept at 48 km/h all day long… So, yes, very fast! There's still al long way to go to Paris, lots of climbing and the time-trial."

 

Fabian Cancellara: It was impossible to try an attack

Fabian Cancellara finished stage 16 into his hometown Bern as best he could, battling against some fast legs to finish in a respectable 6th place.

 

It was not the swan song everyone wanted in Cancellara's final Tour de France and a stage that finished five kilometers from his home, but after two weeks of racing in the Tour de France, fairy tale endings are rare. 

 

"All day was very fast so there was less time to think about what I'd do at the end. I knew that the last 5k was going to be really tough, and it was like that," said Cancellara. " It wasn't that easy but I wasn't badly placed. I was missing this last little something in the legs. But everyone was full gas, and when it's full gas like that, only the best of the best are in the front. We challenged each other; I had also a bit of a fight with Kristoff in the last meters for position. Yeah, I was even thinking that I may go a bit early, but I knew that it was such a long, straight line so you cannot miss anything in a late attack and lose it. I am looking forward to a rest day because today was a hard one as well."

 

The 209-kilometer race was tipped to the punchers with a tricky final that included a short cobbled uphill ahead of a longer hill just ahead of the line. The ending was full gas; the peloton stretched in a single line and impossible for a late attack, even for Spartacus.

 

"It was a tough one – it was all about focus and concentration in the last kilometers. We came in like a rollercoaster towards the finish, and all the best were up there, fighting each other for the last bump and the sprint. It's okay; I am not a super sprinter and maybe people think that I can always do a small attack and sneak away, but after two weeks it's not always possible.

 

"The beginning was strange, lots of riders tried to jump for a break, and no break really went, and I was up there too, and also tried. You have to balance everything and it's hard to know what is the best solution. There was no "gentlemen's agreement" to get away. And when the right breakaway left, I decided to focus on the last few kilometers because I thought the peloton would catch them.

 

”I think with all these sprinters, I did not do so bad. And it's OK like that. I'm not a sprinter. In front of me, I had the best sprinters in the Tour.”

 

Bauke Mollema came safely through the prickly ending, arriving with the front group after the peloton split in the last uphills and the overall classification remained unchanged.

 

Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) sprinted to the win, edging out Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) by a hair in a photo finish.

 

After the finish, a lot of the media scrum surrounded Cancellara, who had raced for his final time in his hometown and country.

 

When asked if he felt a lot of emotion during the race, Cancellara responded: "There was no space for emotion or anything. In the race, my focus was to cool down from the heat, getting drinks, recovering in the race, cooling down from the heat and positioning. Kim (Andersen, director) told me that it's everything you know here, so guide the team. But I could not even guide the team in the end because all my focus and energy went into the final. There was not so much time to think, only to push the pedals and go with all I had. Right now in the race, it is damn hard. You are 100 percent focused on the legs and everything you need to go on to the finish.

 

"Today is the day of a bike race but maybe when I think about it tomorrow or in the next days, it will mean a bit more.

 

“It didn't work out. But in the end it was very difficult to control, the best riders were at the front fighting it out. In the end, I was missing a little bit of strength but I gave it my all and that's the main thing. It's special to ride in your own streets but for now, I'm more tired than anything else. I wanted to do the show, to race for the win but I lacked the strength. I don't like the heat too much, yesterday I lost five kilos and it took me time to recover. I am disappointed. Bern gave us a nice finish. Tomorrow, it's rest day. Maybe I'll drink a beer. The wine will be for the end of the season.”

 

Sep Vanmarcke: Those cobbles were so beautiful that I had to attack
Team LottoNL-Jumbo-rider Sep Vanmarcke placed seventh in the 16th stage of the Tour de France into Bern, Switzerland. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) won the stage sprint ahead of a reduced group, after Etixx-Quick-Step duo Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe dominated the day. 

Vanmarcke tried to escape on the cobblestone climb in the last three kilometres.

 

“The team put me in the front perfectly and when I was in front, I looked around and I saw that there were a few riders on there limit. I went and Navardauskas joined me, and I thought we were free, they came back unfortunately and I had just enough left to stay in the front of the peloton."

 

Vanmarcke then tried in the sprint.

 

“Valverde tried and I thought, this is my chance, but then Kristoff came flying by and it was over."

 

"This was the only stage where I could go for a win,” added Vanmarcke. “I wanted to wait until the top, but those cobbles were so beautiful that I started early. I thought that it was a wonderful final, everyone was on his limits and only the best men were left on the front.

 

"I had not really planned to go on to cobbles but it was a decision of the moment and I took my chance. The cobbled sector was much longer than the 250 meters that had been said beforehand, definitely 400 meters. At first I did not try because the Swiss cobblestones are not bad enough and it was hard to make a difference, but ultimately the team led me perfectly to the front and I saw that t he other riders were also at their limit after the heavy stage, the tough finale and the heat so I thought that I'll go and see who will follow. I got Navardauskas by my side. That was great. But the rest was not far behind and Barguil was very strong and rode a very fast pace.

 

"I had already spent some energy but had still kept something in reserve. Eventually it became a sprint. That's too bad. I was good on the wheel of Valverde when he went, but when Kristoff came, his speed was much higher. I did not have the acceleraion to follow. They remain slightly faster than me in the sprint.

 

"Ultimately, that place in the top 10 not special, but it was a good effort and this was the only stage in the Tour where I could do something personally. I also got the blessing of the team which supported me well and constantly kept me out of danger. I'm glad I could fight. I saw the stage as a classic, I did my best and got seventh. This was probably my last chance.

 

“Now I want to get to Paris. Every year I'm a bit scared, but every year I make it. The first week of this Tour I still suffered with the effects of that disease from the Belgian championships, but the lead-outs for Dylan Groenewegen went okay. In the mountains it was a little more difficult, but for a few days I have felt very well and last week, I survived all the mountains. The form is there and I don’t fear the Alps.”

 

"The men helped Vanmarcke well,” said Sports Director Merijn Zeeman. "We knew the final would be difficult and we wanted to bring Vanmarcke in the front so he could place his attack. It is nice to see that he can hold off the peloton after his attempt and that he can join in the sprint.

 

“We went for it today. We studied the final. It's a shame it didn’t work, but I saw a good team. We were perhaps the most active team in the peloton. When Alaphilippe and Martin managed to get away, Paul Martens still come up to eight seconds, then Bert-Jan Lindeman was trying to make it across and Timo Roosen was chasing the leading group.”

 

Roosen was joined by three other riders but could not get in the front.

 

“It was their right to drive ahead as a couple, but I think that it would have been better with six men and then Etixx would have had two men in front to ride for victory."

 

"I hate it, normally they'll wait if they want to have a chance,” Roosen said. “But they had so much desire to drive on as a couple. If you're with six, you can certainly go faster. We could have played a nice role in the final.

 

“Now it is time to celebrate because it’s a rest day tomorrow, that means, stay in bed and chill out.”

 

Tony Martin: We tried to do something crazy

Trofeo Baracchi was revived on Monday, first day of Tour de France week three, when Julian Alaphilippe and Tony Martin took off from the peloton not long after the flag was dropped and built a six minute lead, despite being aware that a tough task lied ahead, as the stage was earmarked by the puncheurs for a long time now. Stage 16 (Moirans-en-Montagne – Bern, 209 kilometers) left France behind, heading out to Switzerland, which was being visited for the first time in four years, and the undulating terrain was sure of making the riders' life difficult before the challenging finale, which included a brace of short climbs, pitching up to 7%, in the closing two kilometers.

 

As soon as Alaphilippe and Martin gained 20 seconds, BMC, Katusha and Lotto-Soudal took command of the bunch and tried to bring the Etixx – Quick-Step duo back, but they didn't stand a chance. With every kilometer, the Tour de France rookie and his triple ITT World Champion teammate extended their lead, which eventually hit a maximum of six minutes. Behind, four men attacked from the pack and tried to join Martin and Alaphilippe, but they couldn't come close to less than 1:30 on the two before being reabsorbed by the peloton, which started to ride full gas inside the final 100 kilometers of the day.

 

The two continued to power along and make sure that if they go down it will be without having any regret whatsoever, making it tough for the chasers. In Neuchatel, the town where current Etixx – Quick-Step sport director Tom Steels won a Tour de France stage back in 1998, Martin and Alaphilippe were still at the front, but their gap began to drop significantly once Bern loomed at the horizon. After reeling them in, the peloton stayed compact until the finish, where it split, as the fight for victory became really fierce. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) won, beating Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Sondre Holst Enger (IAM Cycling); Maximiliano Richeze came 8th in the stage, whilst Dan Martin came with the yellow jersey group and will now go into the last rest day sitting in 9th place overall.

 

At the end of the day, the plaudits belonged not only to the winner, but also to Julian Alaphilippe and Tony Martin, who made sure of adding a pinch of excitement to stage 16. Their unique action, not seen in recent history at the Tour de France or in any other race for that matter, netted them a visit to the podium, where they were rewarded with the prize for the most aggressive rider of the day, a first in the long and rich history of the Grande Boucle.

 

"It didn't work out for the victory, but it's a big honour to be here with Julian and receive this award. Knowing that this wasn't a stage for the sprinters, we tried to do something crazy today, as there was a chance to pull it off. Ok, it was also risky, but if you don't risk, you don't win", said Tony Martin, who is no stranger to breakaways, some of his finest victories coming after giving the slip to the bunch.

 

"Sometimes it's not just about winning, but also about getting a nice performance and leaving something behind. We gave everything and even though it didn't pay off, we are content, because we enjoyed it. Being on the podium is always nice and we are happy with this small celebration we are having.

 

"It's a happy ending for us with that prize we can share. It didn't work out for the victory but it's a big honour for us. This is the first time in history, I'm proud of what we did. The break was not as long as we expected but definitely harder. It was a bit crazy but if you don't try, you don't win. I hope the fans and the spectators enjoyed it."

 

"We were without victory but it was an honour to stay with Julian and to have the prize together is a big honour for us. We can be proud of what we did. We didn't get the victory but we had a good time."

 

Julian Alaphilippe: It was so hard to follow Tony

For Julian Alaphilippe, this was the second consecutive stage he spent in the escape. After a mechanical prevented him from fighting for victory on Sunday, the 24-year-old tried to shrug off that disappointment by going again up the road:

 

"I wanted to leave yesterday behind, so together with Tony I went in the break. It wasn't easy, as I suffered a lot. You can't even imagine how hard it was, but I was motivated by his fantastic ride. I don't know how he does it, but he's really incredible. Tony showed his class and what a huge champion he is, and I have learned a lot from him in this stage. We didn't get the win, but it was a great day for us. We are very proud and I'm sure we will remember this day for a long time.

 

"With the team, we had the ambition to go in the break but honestly, it was not planned to go with just me and Tony. Once we got a small gap he continued his effort and I told myself that it was still better to be with him than to be behind in a group where there was no agreement. I got a deep cycling lesson in being with a guy like Tony, I do not know how he can be so strong. That kind of day can only make me stronger. "

 

"In my eyes Tony deserves the award much more than me because I was just clinging on behind him. In the end, it was a big 'leçon de vélo' for me, to work with a guy like Tony. Honestly, he really impressed me today. I suffered a lot after yesterday's stage, and I suffered a lot in his wheel today. I don't know how he's that strong but these kind of days are enriching for me, and chapeau to him.

 

"Tony really is a special rider… I was suffering behind him, he's a huge champion. Today, it was a lesson of cycling for me and also good memories for both of us. We deserve that rest day. I moved on after my big disappointment from yesterday. It wasn't easy but there are still opportunities to take until Paris."

 

"It's the Tour – you have to try. He who doesn't have a go leaves with nothing. You never know what's going to happen. It wasn't the plan to go away just us two – and so early – but that's how it is. We can't have any regrets. We can be pleased to have the combativity prize between us – it's historic."

 

Sports director Brian Holm told Eurosport:

 

"It was quite a difficult stage, but Tony has won stages like this before. [Julian] Alaphilippe being out there wasn't really part of our master plan, especially after yesterday and maybe he will regret hanging out there. Tony said that every day they have been chasing for a bunch sprint and today they can chase me. They did, and it looked like he was hurting everybody. To have two riders out there was sort of an honour, also for being in a big race like the Tour de France, so I am very happy."

 

Edvald Boasson Hagen unable for win for Dimension Data on Mandela Day

It was a special day at the Tour de France for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka with the 18th of July being known as Mandela Day in South Africa. Last year Steve Cummings gave the African Team and the continent a day to savour by winning on our former president’s birthday. Today the boys lined up with the hope of repeating that feat.

 

With 60km to go, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka started to put its plan into action when Cummings went to the head of the peloton in order to chase down the 2 leaders.

 

Despite the strength of the 2 up front, and thanks in large to the power of Cummings, the break was caught on the roller coaster road at 15km to go. As the African Team were riding for Edvald Boasson Hagen in the final, Cummings kept the high pace going until 5km to go. Bernhard Eisel did a great job in keeping the Norwegian out of the wind, delivering him to the foot of the cobbled climb in a good position.

 

An attack by Vanmarcke was then quickly nullified by Reinardt Janse van Rensburg on the cobbled climb. The peloton had shattered on the bumpy uphill though and Boasson Hagen found himself on the prized wheel of the world champ, Peter Sagan, with 1km to go. The sprint started and the Norwegian did his best to follow the wheel of Sagan but it had been a difficult day and the World Champion is a champion for a reason. A few riders were able to come around Boasson Hagen before the line and it would be 9th place for the strongman on the day.

 

It was always going to be difficult to emulate last year’s Mandela Day success but the teamwork shown once again gave the African Team every reason to be proud of our result today.

 

Sports director Rolf Aldag said:
 

“It was a complicated final and it wasn’t really obvious what was going to happen. Nobody was sure if it was going to be a massive sprint or a select group after the final. We tried to our best and do a sprint for final. Obviously we were hoping for better but it was a difficult sprint and hard to predict.”

 

”I was in the perfect position. Then there was a Quickstep rider who had done his job and moved back so I had to brake exactly when they started. Then I lost many places. I was int front throughout the day and the whole team was gathered. It was a perfect position. Therefore, it was frustrating in the end,” Boasson Hagen told TV2.

 

Mark Cavendish: I was just hanging on

Mark Cavendish told Eurosport:

 

"I was just hanging on there. It was a bit sketchy. I could just see the wheel in front of me, and that’s it. It was a hard day, actually. When you have Tony Martin in front, it’s not going to be easy. It wasn’t easy at all. 4.25 to do 210km, that’s pretty fast."

 

Greg Van Avermaet: It was too fast to make an attack

Stage 16 of the Tour de France saw Greg Van Avermaet battle it out in a hectic sprint into Bern, Switzerland, in a tricky finale that split the peloton.

 

Van Avermaet crossed the line in tenth place, with Richie Porte and Tejay van Garderen finishing safely in the front group to retain their top ten placings on the General Classification.

 

Julien Alaphilippe and Tony Martin (both Etixx-Quick Step) formed a breakaway duo, gaining a lead of six minutes before being reeled in, in the final 20 kilometers.

 

BMC Racing Team fought hard at the front of the peloton to bring the duo back and position Van Avermaet, Porte and van Garderen well going into a tricky cobbled section in the final three kilometers.

 

Van Avermaet was right up there in the final kilometer but was edged out in the frantic sprint to the line.

 

Greg Van Avermaet said:

 

“It was hard to get in position but I was there where I wanted to be. On the bottom the peloton hesitated a little as it was a bit too early to go I think, still 2.5km to the finish. So I waited and then on the top when I wanted to go the tempo was high so there was no point to attack there. We were just waiting for the sprint and I think I just tried to get into a good place but I never could get to the first row to sprint for first place.

 

"It was difficult in the final. I felt Sep Vanmarcke went too early, because it is difficult to maintain a gap with 2.5 kilometers to go. I had hoped that everyone would be without teammates at the top, but the pace remained high. Then I had to take part in the sprint and that's hard against those riders. I rode for a place of honor and never sprinted in the front row.

 

"With the pace of Barguil was impossible to attack on the cobbled hill. So I was hoping for my sprint, but the other guys are to beat for me. I was with Boasson Hagen and then I hesitated to syaty my sprint. But I never got to the front row and then you know you sprint for a place of honor.

 

”It was really good teamwork. Rohan Dennis did a really good job today and for us it was an important stage with Bern and Andy Rihs, our sponsor, here from BMC Switzerland. So we tried to do it as good as possible. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I don’t think I could have gone better on this stage.

 

"The ride by Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe was impressive. Some riders tried to join them but that did not work. It was a tough day for the peloton, we had to work really hard to get them back. I did my best for the sponsor and was where I had to be.

 

“Now I will again go in a breakaway, but especially recover well for Rio.”

 

Richie Porte and Tejay van Garderen optimistic for the Alps

Richie Porte said:

 

“It was a mess of a finish. It was quite dangerous in that last 10km but the whole day was just so fast. I think with Tony Martin in the breakaway they weren’t going to give him much. We just rode absolutely flat out all day. I think we averaged something like 46km an hour today so it wasn’t easy. It was just absolutely flat out all day.

 

”I’m in good condition and it is a hard four-day block coming up after the rest day. I think I’ve got everything to play for now, I’m not too far off podium. It’s a big goal so bring it on.”

 

Tejay van Garderen added:

 

“I won’t say the Tour has gone perfect but I still have good sensations and we still have me and Richie up there. So, so far it’s been a successful Tour. Hopefully I can just recover and be ready for these last four days. We want to achieve the best result we can.

 

”As of now I’m not really going to put a number on it but we’ve got to be happy with our best. We have to see how things play out, there’s a number of different tactics.”

 

Movistar safely through difficult stage to Bern

A tricky finale, more usually used in the Giro or the Vuelta rather than the ‘Grande Boucle’, took the riders of the 2016 Tour de France into another excruciating journey on stage 16, 209km covered at a whooping 47kph+ average between Moirans-en-Montagne and Bern.

 

A breakaway by Tony Martin with team-mate Julien Alaphilippe (EQS) forced the sprinters’ teams to keep a steady, incredible pace during the barely four-and-a-half hours of racing, which, combined with the treacherous final stretch - two little climbs at 6-7%, the former over thick cobblestones - reduced the leading bunch to just about thirty riders.

 

Alejandro Valverde got himself at the front in the final 300 meters and even tried to launch his sprint, eventually coming across the line in 11th spot as Nairo Quintana did not lose any time to the GC contenders. The two Movistar Team leaders remain in 4th and 5th overall before a well-deserved second rest day comes for the riders on Swiss soil tomorrow, prelude to the tremendous Alps that will decide the overall outcome.

 

Patrick Konrad shows puncheur potential in Bern

In a very difficult final with cobblestones und uphill sections, Patrick Konrad was fighting for a result for BORA – ARGON 18. He showed his skills as punchy rider and was able to stay with the first group. He finished in a strong 12th place.

 

“In the final I tried as much as possible to be in front. My legs were better than I thought. I made a mistake in the last 500 metres, that cost me a better place. Before the cobblestone section, my position was not so good, but on the climb I felt good and could move up a little bit. With my performance today I’m very happy.

 

“Today it was strange to see 2 guys from Etixx-Quick Step in the front and 6 teams had to work to catch them. I tried to be in the leading group today, but 6 or 7 teams showed that they were keen to work for a bunch sprint. But then the 2 riders did a good performance on the front, the speed in the peloton was very high all day. In the end I was happy when the gap got smaller and the Etixx-Quick Step guys were broken. Then I knew that there was a chance for a result,” said Patrick Konrad.

 

Romain Bardet: Today I could mix it up with the puncheurs

Romain Bardet finished 13th.

 

"This was not a transitional stage,” he said. “It was a day with high speed, heat and a tricky finish. I liked it! With the efforts made since the beginning of the Tour, I can mix it me with the puncheurs and it is rather pleasant. The form is good.

 

"The rest day will be good but the form is there and I hope it will not break my rhythm. There are four big days of high mountains so we'll take this day off to be ready for these most important days of the Tour. There is nothing definitive yet on GC. These are critical days that come in succession.

 

"By going for GC, the chance is a bit blocked for stage wins but if I have the chance to get the yellow jersey or a stage win, I'll try.

 

Chris Froome: It’s rubbish to say that I have already won the Tour

Chris Froome found himself on the right side of a big split in the peloton during a frantic finish to stage 16 at the Tour de France.

 

The Brit retained his one minute and 47 second advantage at the top of the standings after moving up in the final kilometre, crossing the line in 13th among a select group of sprinters and GC favourites.

 

A tricky uphill finish into Berne had blown the peloton apart, with Geraint Thomas and Sergio Henao helping to position Froome as the sprint took hold. The pair finished alongside the maillot jaune in the lead group, while up ahead the victory came down to a photo finish.

 

The green jersey of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) narrowly overcame Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) with a bike throw to edge out the win by the narrowest of margins.

 

After the finish Froome admitted it was a fight to stay in position on the run to the line:

 

"I wasn't actually up at the front those last few kilometers, it was pretty sketchy through all the towns, with lots of road furniture, lefts and rights and obviously over the cobbles. I was just trying to stay out of trouble and get to the finish as good as possible. I think everyone is quite glad there's a rest day tomorrow, that was a tough day out there.

 

"I'm pretty tired to be honest, and looking forward to the rest day. I'm looking forward to the Alps. I'm motivated, the team's been great. I'm looking forward to the last few days now.

 

"I think the team's in fantastic shape. I don't think we've ever been at this point with nine riders left. That's a great advantage for us. The guys are doing well, the morale is high, and we have the leader's jersey and a lot to fight for still. We're looking forward to getting back into the mountains now.

 

“Tomorrow, I'll have a press conference. I'll try to go for ride and chill out a bit.

 

“I think other teams have said they're going to attack this week in the Alps, and I expect they will do. To say that the Tour is won and that I don’t have any rivals is rubbish. A lot can happen in four days in the mountains all need is one bad day and you could lose minutes.

 

“I am looking at it more as a four-day block. They are four very tricky days; each has its own challenges. Obviously, the time trial is pretty important. Each day is extremely challenging, so, in my opinion, it is definitely four-day block, as opposed to picking one day to go for as harder.

 

”Stage 17 is an extremely tough stage in itself uphill finish. We’ve only had one real uphill finish, and that was Ventoux, everyone knows that story. It will be really interesting see what happens on Wednesday.”

 

Rui Costa: It was a good test

The winner of three Tours de Suisse Rui Costa led the race from 20km to go and was only caught inside the final 4km.

 

It was also a good performance by his teammate Louis Meintjes who crossed the finish line in 15th position and who will spend the rest day in 12th place in the general classification at 5’48”.

 

”This Tour is not over and as I also said, I'd like to give you a joy and at least I will try until the end,” Costa wrote in his diary. “Today I made one more attempt since it was not possible yesterday. I knew it was difficult to win in this field, but if you do not try, you won’t win

 

”I tried my luck with about 20km to go and was caught about 4.5km from the finish. It was a good test but the stage was not hard enough.

 

Jakob Fuglsang: Aru still has something to say

 “Until now the race has been quite strange: there was only one real uphill finish and the differences in the GC has come mainly from the individual time trial,” said Jakob Fuglsang

 

“I see there are still many riders among the GC contenders who have not still shown their real condition and their ambition. I hope that, starting from Wednesday’s uphill finish, all the values will come out and we will see who should aim for the victory, for the podium and who is not in a good condition.

 

“On our side, at Astana Pro Team, we are all working to help Fabio [Aru] to stay at the front and to avoid any risk, specifically in the stages like today’s when the rythm becomes crazy in the final. I think that Fabio is doing a very good Tour and I’m sure he has yet something to say.”