Froome keeps yellow as Cavendish misses out in sprint

Froome keeps yellow as Cavendish misses out in sprint

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Tour de France 2013 stage 10 | Saint-Gildas-des-Bois – Saint-Malo
Event: 9 July 2013
Report: Scott Hobro

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Chris Froome kept his grip on the yellow jersey as Mark Cavendish was denied a second sprint victory in this year’s Tour de France on stage 10.

Marcel Kittel won the stage from Saint-Gildas-des-Bois to Saint-Malo after Cavendish had collided with Tom Veelers in the final 500 metres.

Though Cavendish remained upright he was unable to challenge Kittle who edged André Greipel on the line with the Manxman in third.

Team Sky’s Froome safely arrived across the line to keep his one minute and 25 second lead over Alejandro Valverde in the general classification while Cavendish is now 103 points behind Peter Sagan in the green points classification contest.

Cavendish initially tweeted after the stage: "Not seen a replay of the final yet, but was involved in an incident with Tom Veelers. Whatever has happened, if I'm at fault, I'm sorry."

Before later adding: "Just seen the sprint. I believe I didn't move line. I'm actually coming past Veelers & we touch elbows when he moves. Anyway, hope he's ok."

On another day in yellow, Froome said: “Again it was another day where there was a bit of nervousness in the peloton.

"My guys did a super job keeping me upfront, Ian Stannard he’s an absolute bear in those situations and he kept me up front and out of trouble.

“My guys did a super job keeping me upfront, Ian Stannard he’s an absolute bear in those situations."

Chris Froome

“All day the guys were chipping away and doing what was needed to get through the stage without losing time.”

After a frenetic stage nine on Sunday, the flat parcours to Saint-Malo covered 197-kilometres following the first rest day.

Frenchmen Jerome Cousin (Europcar) and Julien Simon (Sojasun), Spaniards Juanjo Oroz (Euskaltel) and Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis), and Dutchman Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) attacked the peloton within 1.5-kilomteres of leaving the neutral zone.

Their gap grew to five minutes at the 47-kilometre mark before the peloton slowly reined in the quintet. By the intermediate sprint at Le Hingle their advantage was just three and a half minutes with 69.5-kilometres remaining.

Westra briefly broke away from the escapees after the summit of the stage’s only categorised climb, the Côte de Dinan, but quickly rejoined the group.

The Dutchman then fell back to the peloton before the remaining four leaders were caught within the last 10-kilometres on the coastline into Saint Malo to set up the sprint finish.

Cavendish left the wheel of leadout teammate Gert Steegmans before the incident with Veelers ended his hopes of the win.

Stage result

1 KITTEL Marcel Team Argos - Shimano 20 4:53:25

2 GREIPEL Andre Lotto Belisol Team 10 ,,

3 CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 6 ,,

4 SAGAN Peter Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 4 ,,

5 BONNET William Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr 2 ,,

6 KRISTOFF Alexander Katusha Team ,,

7 DUMOULIN Samuel AG2R La Mondiale ,,

8 REZA Kevin Team Europcar ,,

9 VAN POPPEL Danny Vacansoleil - DCM ,,

10 ROJAS GIL Jose Joaquin Movistar Team ,,


General classification

1 FROOME Christopher Sky Procycling 41:52:43

2 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro Movistar Team 01:25

3 MOLLEMA Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling Team 01:44

4 TEN DAM Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling Team 01:50

5 KREUZIGER Roman Team Saxo-Tinkoff 01:51

6 CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto Team Saxo-Tinkoff ,,

7 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander Movistar Team 02:02

8 MARTIN Daniel Garmin - Sharp 02:28

9 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquim Katusha Team 02:31

10 COSTA Rui Movistar Team 02:45