Tour de France: Matthews wins stage 10

Image 1 of 47

Michael Matthews (Orica-BikeExchange) took the first Tour de France stage win of his career Tuesday in Revel, out-kicking Peter Sagan and a small group that held on from the day's breakaway.

Matthews' teammate Daryl Impey led out the six-rider sprint before Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) launched from the rear of the group in the final 200 metres. Matthews quickly countered, but Sagan was unable to get on terms with the Australian speedster. Sagan finished second, with Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) in third.

"It's just sinking in actually," said an elated Matthews, 25. "I just won a stage of the Tour de France after two really bad years in this race. I was really close to giving in on this race. I just thought this race is maybe not for me and I'd focus on other races. But today my dreams came true."

Matthews' best finish so far in this year's Tour was his fifth place on stage 2 in Cherbourg. By making the breakaway with two teammates, the 25-year-old, who raced his first Tour last year, seriously improved his odds for today's stage win. But he said getting into the breakaway was never part of the team's pre-race plan.

"We were hoping to have a bunch sprint in the finish after the hard climb coming into the final," he said. "We have such a strong group of guys here. The way we work as a team, whoever's up on that day we give that rider 110 per cent. You could see Luke Durbridge and Daryl Impey today - they gave me their everything. There are no words."

Matthews' teammates helped drive the break for their sprinter, then Impey drilled it on the front in the final kilometre while Matthews waited third wheel behind Sagan. Van Avermaet made his move in the final 200 metres from the back of the group and momentarily had the lead, but Matthews reacted quickly. Sagan, who was forced to counter multiple Orica attacks throughout the day, struggled to catch his wheel.

"I used a lot of energy during the stage because the breakaway was like, OK, nobody wants to go full, and a lot of guys don't want to work," the world champion said. "I was trying to keep everybody turning. I attacked in the crosswind and we split in the last 25km. I then did a lot of attack in the climb.

"When the guy from Orica attacked a lot in the last 3km and I always chased, like all the work was on me in the final. I was second. I'm happy for Michael to win a stage in the Tour de France, and I'm happy for my points in the green jersey."

Video Highlights

How it unfolded

The 197kmm route from Escaldes-Engordany to Revel included arguably the toughest start to any stage of the 2016 Tour. Straight out of Andorra, the peloton tackled the 22.6km climb of Port d'Envalira, which tops out at 2,408 metres. A long descent followed as the peloton began making its way toward the final 12km loop around Revel, including the 2km climb of Côte de St-Ferréol.

The fireworks began immediately on the opening climb as several large groups, sparked by attacks from Sagan, got away but were quickly pulled back. Lampre-Merida's Rui Costa sneaked away near the top of the climb and made his advantage stick. He was soon joined by Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale) and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) over the top of the mountain, while riders continued to bridge on the descent until the day's breakaway of 15 formed.

In the move were Matthews, Impey, Costa, Dumoulin, Nibali, Sagan, Van Avermaet, Boasson Hagen, Mikel Landa (Team Sky), Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing), Steve Cummings (Dimension Data), Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal), Luke Durbridge (Orica-BikeExchange) and Sylvain Chavenel (Direct Energie).

Cooperation among most of the escapees boosted their advantage to a maximum of seven minutes, but with a bunch sprint finish possible in Engordany, the sprinters' teams worked to bring the gap down to a more manageable margin. With 36km to go, the gap was down to 4:45, and the breakaway was certainly in with a chance.

With several riders sitting on, including Chavanel, whose Direct Energie teammate Thomas Voeckler was taking massive pulls back in the chase, attacks in the breakaway were inevitable. A smaller group of seven eventually pulled away in the final 20km. In the new lead group were Sagan, Matthews, Impey, Durbridge, Van Avermaet, Boasson Hagen and Dumoulin.

The shuffling up front reinvigorated the leaders, who, with 12.5km to go, had 1:50 on their eight former break companions and more than six minutes on the peloton. It was clear now that there would be a seven-rider battle for the stage win.

More attacks jettisoned Durbridge, but his Orica teammates kept the pressure on the rest of the group, with Impey repeatedly attacking Sagan et al in the final 5km, hoping to soften up Sagan for Matthews. Sagan launched several attacks as well, while Van Avermaet and Boasson Hagen continued to bide their time in the wheels.

Sagan took held the front over the final 4km as the others thought about how they would outfox the world champion. Impey attacked multiple times, but Sagan was up to the challenge of countering each effort.

Impey then led them into the final kilometre with Sagan on his wheel, followed by Matthews, who eventually won the day.

The field, including race leader Chris Froome (Team Sky), rolled across the line more than nine minutes later without contesting the remaining points for the sprint competition, which Sagan now leads. 

More on this story:

• Tour de France: Matthews wins stage 10 to Revel
• Tour de France stage 10 - Finish line quotes

MATTHEWS en costaud ! / the strongest ! #TDF2016 pic.twitter.com/H3xa33ER2H

Full Results