The 18th stage of the Tour de France was clinched by Frenchman Arnaud Demare as Great Britain’s Geraint Thomas tightened his hold over the yellow jersey.
Demare, who had been accused by Germany’s Andre Greipel of holding on to a car to make it through the mountains on Stage 16, silenced his critics with a superb sprint finish to claim the win on Thursday.
“The best answer I could give Andre Greipel was to win today,” the Frenchman was quoted following his victory.
“Obviously what he said hurt me, and was also insulting. It’s regrettable that people doubt my performances.
“I know I’m not the best in the mountains, but I work hard to make sure I get through them.”
Yellow jersey holder Thomas, of Team Sky, finished 31st and remains 1min 59sec ahead of the Netherland’s Tom Dumoulin while his team-mate Chris Froome remains in the third position.
“I think we’re expecting the worst, hoping for the best,” Thomas said.
“I think guys will try to take any opportunity they can. It will be interesting, but we’ve been riding really well all race.”
Thomas has strengthened his hold n the yellow jersey.
There was another crash on Thursday with Colombia’s Nairo Quintana and Britain’s Adam Yates among the several riders who were caught.
Slovakia’s Peter Sagan had been the victim of a huge crash himself on Wednesday and the sprint king wants to just get over the finish line after suffering some big injuries.
“I can’t complain, I could be worse,” Sagan stated after the completion of Stage 18.
“After what happened yesterday with the crash, I was in a lot of pain today. I think tomorrow will be much harder, but I consider myself lucky that, after such a crash, I’m still in the race and not sitting at home.
“But it was my own mistake yesterday. There was no motorbike in front of me. I flew into the forest, like a bird.”
The 200.5km long 19th stage of the iconic race is set to get underway on Friday with the final stage set to take in Paris on July 29.
