Matthews blasts P23 John Degenkolb SPORTS 2424 Wednesday, July 19, 2017 Matthews at Romans-sur-Isère, theopening third category climb, anddouble chances not missed opportunities.” Tuesday July 18 France then crosswinds in the final 15km He added: “Nothing is lost.” ustralian Michael scattered groups all over the road. There were casualties amongst th Matthews won his “We took it from the word go, the top 10 as Martin, South African 16 stage 165 km secondA stage of the 2017 Tour attacking the whole climb to make Louis Meintjes and Contador were all 1 M. Matthews 3h38:15 de France yesterday and closed it hard for Quick-Step to shut us caught out in the wind, the first two (AUS/Sunweb) in on the green jersey held by down,” said Matthews. losing 51sec and the Spaniard giving 2 E. Boasson Hagen at 0:00 Marcel Kittel. “I kept attacking on the first climb, up 1min 33sec. (NOR/Dimension Data) Chris Froome retained the I felt quite good and when I got to “Everyone knew that the last overall lead in a hectic finale to the top of climb I heard Kittel was 20km would be in the wind with 3 J. Degenkolb at 0:00 (GER/Trek-Segafredo) stage 16 baulked by crosswinds distanced by almost a minute. I called crosswinds,” said Froome. that saw contenders Daniel Martin the boys and they came to the front “It was there that we decided we 4 G. Van Avermaet at 0:00 and Alberto Contador lose time. with big smiles on their faces and had to go, to ride hard and try to (BEL/BMC) Matthews edged a photo finish went full gas.” make a selection.” 5 C. Laporte at 0:00 ahead of Norway’s Edvald Boasson The crosswinds got rid of other Frenchman Romain Bardet was (FRA/Cofidis) Hagen, already denied by the top sprinters Andre Greipel and almost caught out but was paced Overall cameras in stage seven when Kittel Alexander Kristoff, leaving little back to the lead group by team-mate won, with John Degenkolb third. competition for Matthews at the Oliver Naesen, while Fabio Aru had 1 C. Froome 68h18:36 On top of that, Matthews claimed finish. to bridge a small gap by himself. (GBR/Sky) another 50 points in the sprinters’ “It was a great day, it went 10 times The Italian remains second at Michael Matthews 2 F. Aru at 0:18 green jersey competition to close better than was planned,” added 18sec with Bardet third at 23sec. (ITA/Astana) to 29 points behind Quick-Step’s Matthews. Froome’s Spanish team-mate 3 R. Bardet at 0:23 Kittel. “I can’t say I’m happy at losing all Mikel Landa reclaimed fifth place (FRA/AG2R) It was a selective group that those points today but what can I from Martin, who dropped to 4 R. Uran at 0:29 reached the finish together after do,” said Kittel. seventh, while Nairo Quintana (COL/Cannondale) Matthews’s Sunweb team set a fast “It wasn’t our day today but we climbed back into the top 10 at the early pace to drop Kittel on the have to move on and think of the next expense of Contador. (AFP) 5 L. Mikel at 1:17 (ESP/Sky) Points 1 M. Kittel 373 pts (GER/Quick-Step Floors) Mountains 1 W. Barguil 117 pts (FRA/Sunweb) Source: ASO Australia’s Michael Matthews (2ndL) sprints to win ahead of Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen (2ndR), Germany’s John Degenkolb (L) and Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet (R) at the end of the 165 km sixteenth stage Hon.Chairman Najeb Yacob Alhamer | Responsible Editor Mahmood AI Mahmood | Managing Editor Soman Baby | Managing Director P. Unnikrishnan | Adviser Med Jones Advt : Strategic Publicity & Advertising Co.W.L.L | Tel: 17270710, Fax17256470, Email: [email protected] | Newsroom: Tel: 17579911, Fax17250150, Email: [email protected] Printed and published by Al Ayam Publishing | Subscription & circulation: Tel: 38444698/17579877/Fax17250150, Email:[email protected] | Website: www.dt.bh.