Chris Froome controlled a series of tentative attacks from his rivals as Joaquim Rodriguez won his second stage of this year’s Tour de France on Thursday.
Rodriguez, 36, was part of an original 22-man breakaway that gradually split up over the 195km trek from Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille in changing weather that ranged from 38oC heat to 12oC with thunder, lightning and hail.
The Spaniard had already won the third stage finish on the Mur de Huy and also had a stage victory back in 2010, but he wants more.
Photo: AFP
“It will be more difficult than today to get in the right breakaway on the stage to Mende [today] for example, but I’ll try throughout the third week in the Alps to get a third victory,” the Katusha team leader said.
Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang was second at 1 minute, 12 seconds with Frenchman Romain Bardet third at 1 minute, 49 seconds, the pair dropped by Rodriguez on the final 15.8km hors category climb to the finish.
Froome came home in 10th at 6 minutes, 47 seconds among his principle rivals, including Nairo Quintana, two-time former winner Alberto Contador and reigning champion Vincenzo Nibali.
“It really was a team effort today, it was about strength in numbers,” Froome said.
“Throughout the day, the team’s been riding from the very beginning and to have someone like Geraint Thomas bring me all the way to the line was a dream scenario,” he added.
“I’ve got to thank the team for the work they’ve done,” Froome said. “It’s been a great start for us, gaining time on the first Pyrenean stage and then today just controlling it a bit more.”
“Hopefully it means we’ll have saved a bit of energy for the Alps,” he added.
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