Australian Michael Rogers has come in first in stage 16 of the Tour de France – the longest stage of this year’s race. The 34-year-old, who rides for Team Tinkoff-Saxo, broke away from his group on the descent four kilometres out of the 237.5km Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon route.
This is Rogers’ first ever Tour stage win in his tenth Tour overall, nabbing the second win for Tinkoff-Saxo in this year’s race. “I knew I had to outwit them on the final [descent],” Rogers told SBS after the race.
“[Second-placed Frenchman Thomas Voeckler] had a teammate behind and started playing that bargaining chip but I said I wouldn’t have it. I said, ‘Listen, don’t play with me, you’re not going to beat me today, no way,'” said Rogers. “On that descent, I just said I’ve been in this position too many times not to win… [I thought] I’m going to crash or I’m going to win.”
Former Tour stage winner Magnus Backstedt told BBC Sport of Rogers’ win, “What a year he is having, he’s riding strong and he is confident, this was a stage that was tailor made for him and once he got the gap there was no coming back to him.”
The Tour’s upcoming 17th stage is set to be a short but brutal 124.5km test of will, featuring four demanding climbs, including a steep 10km ascent to the finish at Plat d’Adet. See the top 10 Stage 16 result and the current general ranking below.
Tour de France Stage 16 Result
1. Michael Rogers (Aus/Tinkoff – Saxo) 6hrs 7mins 10 secs
2. Thomas Voeckler (Fra/Europcar) +9secs
3. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr/Team Sky) ST
4. Jose Serpa (Colombia/Lampre) ST
5. Cyril Gautier (Fra/Europcar) ST
6. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing) +13secs
7. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) +36secs
8. Matteo Montaguti (Ita/AG2R) +50secs
9. Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned/Garmin) +2mins 11secs
10. Tony Gallopin (Fra/Lotto) ST
General Classification After Stage 16
1. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Astana) 73hrs 05mins 19secs
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +4:37secs
3. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/FDJ.fr) +5:06secs
4. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra/AG2R) +6:08secs
5. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +6:40secs
6. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing) +9:25secs
7. Leopold Koenig (Cze/NetApp) +9:32secs
8. Laurens ten Dam (Ned/Belkin) +11:12secs
9. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) +11:28secs
10. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Belkin) +11:33secs
