The 15th stage of the Tour de France 2016 was held on July 17th, 2016. It led over 160 kilometers from Bourg-en-Bresse to Culoz . There were two mountain classifications in the third category, a mountain classification in the second, two in the first and one in the Hors Catégorie as well as an intermediate sprint in Hauteville-Lompnes after 71.5 kilometers. With a total of six mountain evaluations and the crossing of the Grand Colombier , the stage counted as a high mountain stage.
Race course
Majka and Pauwels alone in the front
At the beginning of the stage there were several escape attempts neutralized by the field. The Pole Rafał Majka (TNK) and Ilnur Sakarin (KAT) were able to pull away on the climb to the first mountain classification in the 1st category, which was lost after 23 kilometers . Majka gained ten points in the mountain classification and moved up to within three points of Thomas De Gendt (LTS), who had been the leader until then . Then other drivers were able to catch up with Majka and Sakarin, so that a large leading group of 30 drivers emerged. This consisted of: Julian Alaphilippe (EQS), Daniel Navarro (COF), Rubén Plaza (OBE), Dylan van Baarle , Tom Slagter , Pierre Rolland (all three CDT), Serge Pauwels (DDD), Tom Dumoulin (TGA), Steve Morabito , Sébastien Reichenbach (both FDJ), Bartosz Huzarski (BOA), Alberto Losada , Ilnur Sakarin (both KAT), George Bennett (TLJ), Haimar Zubeldia (TFS), Stef Clement , Jérôme Coppel , Jarlinson Pantano (all three IAM) , Ion Izagirre , Nélson Oliveira (both MOV), Tanel Kangert , Vincenzo Nibali (both AST), Rafał Majka (TNK), Domenico Pozzovivo , Alexis Vuillermoz (both ALM), Kristijan Đurasek , Tsgabu Grmay , Jan Polanc (all three LAM) , Thomas Voeckler and Romain Sicard (both DEN).
On the second climb after 52 kilometers, Thomas Voeckler attacked and scored five mountain points, Majka came second on the Col du Sappel and was tied with De Gendt. After the descent, the 30 leaders were already more than six minutes ahead of the main field.
This was followed by the third climb, categorized as third class, that Serge Pauwels completed before Majka. The same placements were achieved on the comparatively demanding Col de la Rochette, which was crossed about 15 kilometers later . In the meantime, Pauwels and Majka had tried to pull away, but were put back in the intermediate sprint, which was lost after 71.5 kilometers.
Next, Dylan van Baarle attempted an attack. He was followed by Tom Dumoulin and a little later Vincenzo Nibali. Van Baarle couldn't keep up with the pace of the other two and eventually fell behind the other outliers. Dumoulin was about 20 seconds ahead of Nibali, to whom Jarlinson Pantano and Domenico Pozzovivo had also caught up. On the climb to the Grand Colombier , Dumoulin dropped back to his three pursuers. The remaining outliers were able to slowly come back and so the leading group reunited. However, some drivers had already fallen behind, including Coppel, Losada and Polanc.
Several attacks by the Spaniard Daniel Navarro meant that Nibali and Dumoulin, among others, could no longer follow and so ultimately 13 riders remained at the top. Ilnur Sakarin and Rafał Majka, meanwhile in the virtual mountain jersey, pulled away and were about a minute ahead of their pursuers to the summit of the Grand Colombier. In between was Julian Alaphilippe, who was able to catch up with the two leaders on the descent, while Sakarin had problems there.
The descent also enabled Jarlinson Pantano to reconnect to the top, while Julian Alaphilippe fell back into one of the rear groups due to a fall. The peloton drove over the Grand Colombier without any major action and was about 7:30 minutes behind the front runners. These had meanwhile entered the circuit of this stage, which was supposed to bring them over the Colombier again. In this climb called Lacets du Grand Colombier Majka was able to break away from his only remaining companion Pantano. Sébastien Reichenbach and Alexis Vuillermoz drove up from behind, but could not quite make the connection.
In the favorites field, Fabio Aru (AST), Alejandro Valverde (MOV) and Romain Bardet (ALM) attacked unsuccessfully. The Sky team around Chris Froome was able to close all the gaps that were created.
Once again, Pantano managed to keep his chance of victory in the descent, in which he was able to drive up to Majka, who had paid taxes in a curve. Both had a lead of about 20 seconds over Reichenbach and Vuillermoz with three kilometers to go. Pantano secured the stage win in the sprint ahead of Majka. Six seconds later Vuillermoz and Reichenbach crossed the finish line, followed by a group with Alaphilippe, Pauwels and Pierre Rolland. Majka was honored as the most combative driver of the 15th stage.
In the mountain classification, Rafał Majka took the lead with 127 points. As the runner-up in this ranking, Thomas De Gendt had 37 points less. The Movistar team took the lead in the team classification from BMC Racing Team , whose captain Tejay van Garderen lost about 1:30 minutes to the other favorites. Chris Froome continued to lead the overall standings 1:47 minutes ahead of Bauke Mollema (TFS).
Scoring
Mountain ratings
tasks
Web links
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