SAINT-QUENTIN, France, July 5, 2012 (AFP) – Slovakian champion Peter Sagan
missed a great chance for his third stage win on this year’s Tour de France
Thursday, but ended up thankful he could stay in the race after yet another
mass pile-up.
At the end of the 196 km ride from Rouen to Saint-Quentin the Liquigas
rider was one of several, including American Tyler Farrar, caught up in a
spill with just over 3km to race.
Sagan, who has won two stages already on what is his debut, will win some
fans for the impressive bike handling skills he employed before eventually
hitting the tarmac.
But ultimately the green jersey holder missed out on contending a sprint
finish that looked tailor-made for him, and failed to add to his green jersey
points tally at the finish where he trailed home out of the top 15.
He was quick to criticise some rivals, but put his day’s losses into
perspective.
“I lost a great opportunity to add to my points tally,” said Sagan.
“But in every sprint everyone thinks they have good legs and so they start
to do things that make it dangerous. That’s why crashes happen.
“But it could have been a lot worse for me.”
His advantage over Matt Goss has now been reduced to 18 points after the
Australian picked up 35 points for a second place finish behind German stage
winner Andre Greipel.
Team Sky chief Dave Brailsford, who saw defending green jersey champion
Mark Cavendish finish fifth to collect 22 points, said he could empathize with
Sagan after his first big tumble in the wake of a dream debut.
“It is a rollercoaster. One minute you’re punching the air and the next
you’re holding you’re head in despair,” said Brailsford, whose yellow jersey
contender Bradley Wiggins crashed out on stage seven last year.
“We saw that today with Sagan. He’s been imperious until now and today he’s
hit the deck. You just got to keep on battling and that’s what this game’s all
about.”
Goss, who had crossed the stage’s intermediate sprint line in sixth place
– two ahead of Sagan — was disappointed in defeat but buoyed by his points
collection.
“I got a lot closer after today,” said the Australian who rides for
Orica-GreenEdge.
“Unfortunately Sagan went down in the crash and that’s not the way I want
to take points on a guy. But it’s just part of bike racing. Tomorrow I could
be on the ground and I could get no points at the finish.
“That’s why you have to keep at it and we will be keeping at it all the
way.”
