Video: The crash that has claimed the Tour de France yellow jersey Tony Martin looks to have been caused by the German himself.
The three Irish riders in the Tour de France managed to avoid the crash inside the final kilometre of stage 6 into Le Havre that brought many of the big favourites down, along with yellow jersey Tony Martin of Etixx-Quick-Step.
Martin's team mate Zdenek Stybar sprang from the pack up the ramp just before the finish and built a lead of a couple of seconds.
And as the other main protagonists for stage glory - notably Peter Sagan, John Degenkolb and Bryan Coquard - looked at each other to chase when the Czech rider made his move, the victory slipped away from them.
Their hesitation was enough to give the three-time cyclocross world champion the margin he needed to win, with Tinkoff-Saxo's Sagan taking 2nd again, Coquard taking 3rd for Europcar and Degenkolb 4th for Giant-Alpecin.
Advertisement
Dan Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) was best of the Irish, in 43rd place, and was credited with the same time as those sprinting for 2nd place despite being held up in the crash.
Sam Bennett of Bora-Argon 18 did not contest the finish and came home in a group 3:20 down alongside Nicolas Roche of Team Sky.
Worryingly, Bennett's team said he was not feeling well yesterday and so it was decided he would not contest the final today.
That's a blow for the Carrick man as he had been ill for a number of weeks coming into the Tour and missed his last few vital races before the event got underway. His condition in coming days will be closely monitored by his German squad.
The finish at the Tour is a massive operation every day as this shot from Le Havre shows.
The story of the stage was the crash that marred the finish. It occurred near the front of the nervous and under pressure peloton with around 800 metres remaining on the stage.
The yellow jersey of Martin appeared to fall first after bumping in the group as the riders competed for position.
Related News
His fall brought down a number of others including Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC).
Chris Froome (Team Sky) did not fall but was forced to a stop, as many others were. And while he got going again he stopped immediately as he required a change of wheel.
However, under the rule that states any crash or remarkable event in the final 3km does not lead to a time loss for those riders affected, all of those who fell or were held up were credited with the time of the group they were in at that time.
In this case that meant all of the big names were credited with the same time as the depleted peloton sprinting for 2nd.
This evening it has emerged the yellow jersey of Martin suffered a broken collarbone and while he initially vowed to battle on his team has said he will not start tomorrow.
It means Froome is back in the yellow jersey. Irish fans, meanwhile, will be watching Bennett's condition as closely as his team is.
Stage 6: Abbeville to Le Havre (191.5km)
1 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 4:53:46
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:02
3 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
4 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
5 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
6 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal
7 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN - Qhubeka
8 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida
9 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
10 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar Team
11 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
12 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
13 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha
14 Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
15 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
16 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo
17 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step
18 Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
19 Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling
20 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
47 Daniel Martin (Irl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team all same time
165 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky @3:20
166 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 same time
General Classification
1 Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step 22:13:14
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:12
3 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:25
4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:27
5 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:38
6 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:40
7 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:46
8 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:48
9 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:01:04
10 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:01:15
11 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:01:19
12 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing 0:01:44
13 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:50
14 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:01:51
15 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:02:03
16 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
17 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:02:08
18 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:02:12
19 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:19
20 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:02:51
33 Daniel Martin (Irl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:07:52
69 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:16:54
176 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 0:48:52
Topics
