Bernal takes overall prize as Gaviria wins stage in photo finish
The final podium for the 2018 Tour of California: winner Egan Bernal (Team Sky) with BMC's Tejay van Garderen and EF-Drapac's Dani Martinez (Image credit: Getty Images)
As expected, Team Sky's Egan Bernal wrapped up the overall title following stage 7 of the 2018 Tour of California in Sacramento on Saturday.
The Colombian went into the flat stage with a 1:25 advantage over Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and 2:14 over EF-Drapac's Dani Martinez, and that's how it would finish as the sprinters came out to play.
Stage 7 was always going to be one for those fast-men, and after an early breakaway made up of Neilson Powless (LottoNL-Jumbo), Adam De Vos (Rally), Mikkel Bjerg (Hagens Berman Axeon) and UnitedHealthcare's Jonny Clarke was hauled in with just over a lap to go on the finishing circuit in Sacramento, it was time for the sprinters' teams to organise their 'trains'.
When Quick-Step Floors took over the front of the race from Katusha-Alpecin – who had been trying to set up their man Marcel Kittel – it was almost inevitable that Fernando Gaviria was going to be delivered to his third stage win at this year's race.
And yet it almost didn't happen as Sunweb's Max Walsheid found a gap between Gaviria and eventual third-place finisher Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott), and even celebrated taking the 'win'.
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