HIGHLIGHTS: Michael Mathews wins tenth stage of the Tour de France

Sport360 staff 20:22 12/07/2016
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  • Michael Mathews wins stage 10

    Michael Matthews won stage 10 of the Tour de France ahead of world champion Peter Sagan in Revel.

    Australian sprinter Matthews won from the remnants of the breakaway at the end of this 197 kilometre stage from Escaldes-Engordany, having had two Orica-BikeExchange team-mates in the final group of seven riders out in front.

    The 25-year-old had time to sit up and celebrate at the line even as Sagan made a desperate bid to snatch the win, and the Tinkoff rider had to settle for an all-too-familiar second place.

    It was a first Tour de France stage win for Matthews, who now has victories from all three Grand Tours.

    For Sagan, it was a 17th second place in a Grand Tour, but he could console himself after reclaiming the green jersey from Mark Cavendish.

    The sun was shining as the race left Escaldes-Engordany, immediately onto the ascent of the Port d’Envalira, the highest point of this year’s Tour.

    Several breaks tried to get away on the way up but it was Lampre-Merida’s Rui Costa who crested the summit alone before they tackled a long descent made treacherous by thick fog.

    As they dropped back into France from Andorra a 15-man break assembled, with world champion Sagan, Giro d’Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali and stage seven winner Steve Cummings among their number.

    With that opening climb out of the way, the rest of the stage was largely flat but light rain fell as the break pulled almost seven minutes clear.

    As they neared Revel the break split in two, with Sagan going clear along with Sam Dumoulin (AG2r La Mondiale), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Edvald Boasson Hagen ( Dimension Data ) and the trio of Matthews, Daryl Impey and Luke Durbridge.

    Inside the last 15km, the peloton eased up to allow the breakaway their fun and it became a battle between the front seven.

    Sagan led them over the short category three climb, the Cote de Saint Ferreol, seven kilometres from the finish before Durbridge, having done his turn for his team-mates, dropped back.

    Van Avermaet was the first to light it up on the home straight but, as the others responded, it was Matthews who found the burst of speed to break clear.

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