(AFP via Getty Images)
That Tour de France Today marks the start of the final week of racing for 2022 as drivers tackle the hilly Carcassonne to Foix route. Belgium’s Jasper Philipsen claimed his first win of the Tour when he won a mass sprint on Sunday’s stage 15, beating compatriot Wout van Aert and Denmark’s Mads Pedersen, who finished second and third respectively.
Yellow Jersey holder and GC leader Jonas Vingegaard had a bad day after a crash and the retirement of his teammates Steven Kruijswijk and Primoz Roglic but recovered to make it back into the peloton and still leads Tadej Pogacar by two minutes and 22 seconds. With temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, race organizers had to spray parts of the road with water to cool the melting tar before the riders passed.
Monday was the final rest day of this year’s race, so riders will be refreshed after a grueling stretch of the Tour, and it’s likely that GC contenders will be looking to save their legs ahead of the bigger mountain stages to come. Stage 16 features four categorized climbs – two at the beginning and a trickier pair towards the end – likely to suit experienced climbers like Romain Bardet. Can he triumph as French riders continue to search for an elusive stage win?
A bigger question, however, is how Vingegaard will fare after his fall and whether defending champion Pogacar thinks the time is right to renew his attack for the yellow jersey. This Tour de France has been unpredictable at almost every stage so far, and today’s race seems no different.
Follow all the action of Stage 16 of the Tour de France:
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
95 km to go: Marc Soler has dropped out of the peloton and needs help from the ambulance. Apparently he vomited from an upset stomach.
The peloton is now falling even further behind the breakaway. They are 7’19” behind.
The next climb is still 25km away.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 1:43 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
100 km to go: Here are the full results of the intermediate sprint:
3. Philippe Gilbert, 15 pts
4. Nathan Van Hooydonck, 13 pts
6. Michael Storer, 10 points
9. Alexis Gougeard, 7 pts
10. Mikkel Honoré, 6 pts
11. Mathieu Burgaudeau, 5 pts
12. Neilson Powless, 4 pts
13. Stefan Bissegger, 3 pts
14. Gorka Izagirre, 2 pts
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 1:34 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
105 km to go: Immediately after the end of the sprint, Philippe Gilbert takes the lead of the breakaways to keep the pace in front of the peloton.
There is another long, flat stretch before Port de Lers, the first of two Category 1 climbs at the back of the stage.
In the breakaway group is Aleksandr Vlasov. The 6’39” lag put him fifth in the virtual GC standings.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 1:32 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
110 km to go: The intermediate sprint will take place in the town of Lavelanet. If Wout van Aert wins the sprint today and tomorrow he will mathematically win the green jersey provided he makes it to the end of the tour.
Van Aert is second! He collects 17 points and not the maximum of 20. Nils Eekhoff just trumps him on the line.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 1:22 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
115 km to go: Caleb Ewan dropped back out of the peloton due to a problem with his saddle, but it’s fixed quickly and he’s able to catch up without too much trouble.
The peloton is six minutes behind the breakaway, which isn’t a massive lead but is comfortable enough for those in front.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 1:15 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
120 km to go: The intermediate sprint is 10 km away. Wout van Aert is in the breakaway group and will no doubt try to pick up the 20 points available.
On the Tour so far he has used most of the opportunities to extend his lead in the Green Jersey competition so today will be no different.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 1:07 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
125 km to go: Gougeard is caught and dragged back into the breakaway. It will be interesting to see how these 29 riders progress through the rest of the stage.
There are two difficult cat. 1 is climbing at the bottom of the route today and we’ve seen breaks from breakaway form well before on earlier stages this year.
After the sprint in Lavelanet, things will really get going.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 1:01 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
128 km to go: The gap between Gougeard and the rest of the breakaway has now been reduced to just 18 seconds. In this group Felix Grossschartner fell but seems okay.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 12:56 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
132 km to go: Alexis Gougeard hits a descent ahead of a long flat track before the intermediate sprint at Lavelanet. There are now three groups in this race.
Gougeard is alone in the first race, then he follows the chasing group with Wout van Aert before the peloton follows.
The GC contenders are in the bottom group 6’15” behind Gougeard.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 12:52 p.m
Tour de France 2022: Stage 16
137 km to go: At the front of the race, Alexis Gougeard covered 40.9km in the first hour of racing. It’s a slower pace today after such a blistering run over the last 15 stages.
Confirmation that Stefan Bissegger scored the second KOM point at the Col de l’Espinas.
Michael JonesJuly 19, 2022 12:45 p.m
