2016 Tour de France: Izagirre Rides Away to Stage 20 Victory

For all but the sprinters in the peloton, the final Sunday ride into Paris is ceremonial more than competitive. The yellow jersey sips a little Champagne for the cameras, cyclists can ease up and joke around, and three weeks of strenuous effort conclude in celebration on the Champs-Elysees. But first the 175 remaining riders (of the original 198 who started the first stage to Utah Beach back on July 2) needed to navigate the last four Alpine climbs of the 2016 Tour de France.

Another wet day in France did not stop early breaks from forming almost immediately. As riders jumped at their last-chance bid for glory in this year’s race, a high early pace began to test the field even before they hit the slopes of the first categorized climb of the day. A large group of 28 riders chased after early breakaway Thomas De Gendt over the top of the Col des Aravis, who summited about 20 seconds ahead of the chasers.

Peter Sagan was also within the breakaway, looking to mop up any last points in the race for the green jersey; the Slovak star, who has won each of the past four points classifications, needed just eight points coming into the day to break his record for the largest point total ever accumulated at a Tour. Sagan accomplished the goal by crossing the line in third position at the intermediate sprint point on the course, earning 15 points for his efforts and pushing his new record total to 440 (and counting, based on what happens in the finale).

He then dug hard for teammate Roman Kreuziger, whose bid in the breakaway was predicated on the dream of moving up the general classification. For a while on the road Kreuziger, who finished in the top five in 2013, was hovering in podium position. That would not last, though, as the front group splintered from attacks and counterattacks.

Many of the names attacking one another were familiar to those who have followed the procession around France and neighboring countries over the past fortnight and counting. Julian Alaphilippe and Jarlinson Pantano attacked off the front, only to be chased by Vincenzo Nibali on the Col de Joux Plane. Jon Izagirre made the decisive move, however, pushing past the trio on the slopes of the 2016 Tour’s final climb and punching it on the descent to hold his gap.

(Getty Images)

The result was the first Tour stage victory of Izagirre’s career, as he came across the line in Morzine 19 seconds ahead of Pantano. The Colombian was followed over the line by Nibali and Alaphilippe, concluding a day of hard racing. While the final result had little impact on Chris Froome, who crossed the line in Morzine calmly locked in amongst the other GC contenders, there were subtle shifts. Kreuziger’s long-range efforts allowed him to vault up into the top 10, his fourth time featuring among the best at the Tour.

And so now we turn our attention toward Paris, where the riders will wrap up the 21 days of the Tour de France with the traditional sprint on the Champs-Elysees. While Froome and Team Sky are mugging for the cameras and getting tipsy on the road, there will be one final battle to contest. Sagan will certainly be in the mix, while two-time Champs-Elysees winner Marcel Kittel is another contender to watch. They will be challenged by Bryan Coquard, Alexander Kristoff, Andre Greipel, and Michael Matthews for the prestigious victory, and the last chance to take a lucrative Tour stage win in 2016.

Stage Results and Standings after Stage 20

Stage Results

General Classification (yellow jersey)

Points Classification (green jersey)

King of the Mountains (polka-dot jersey)

Best Young Rider (white jersey)