Tour of California 2016 – Stage 7 [FULL STAGE]

May 21, 2016

Tour of California 2016 – Santa Rosa – Santa Rosa – 146,5 km

The Tour of California (officially known as the Amgen Tour of California for sponsorship purposes) is an annual professional cycling stage race on the UCI America Tour and USA Cycling Professional Tour. It was first held in 2006. The eight-day race covers 650–700 miles (1,045–1,126 km) through the U.S. state of California. A typical edition might begin in Nevada City, travel through the redwoods, wine country and the Pacific Coast, and finish in a southern California city such as Escondido. The 2009 race crossed the Central Valley from Merced to Fresno, with an excursion through the Sierra Nevada foothills, before crossing over to the coast. The tour is sponsored by Amgen, a large California-based biotech company.

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) held off a fast-finishing Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) Saturday in Santa Rosa to claim the stage 7 honours at the Tour of California. Team Sky’s Danny van Poppel was third.

Despite constant pressure from his general classification rivals, race leader Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) finished in the lead group to stay in yellow heading into Sunday’s final stage.

“It was a hard day,” Kristoff said in the post-stage press conference, where he was seated next to Sagan. “This guy was pretty strong, and we were having trouble to catch him. For me it was more than enough just to sit in the back. I was suffering all day, and at the end I was feeling quite tired and I knew everybody else would be tired also.”

The penultimate day’s route that started and finished in Santa Rosa looked like a monster on paper, and that proved to be the case as the peloton traversed narrow, rough, winding roads as they climbed the coastal range and dropped down to the Pacific ocean before going up and over again for the return trip.

Sagan hopped into a breakaway on the outbound trip and then rode solo for nearly 30km before succumbing to the Katusha and Direct Energie chase.

“I was surprised looking by my side at the finish line and I saw him there,” Kristoff said of his Slovakian rival. “He was there all the time on the front and also a long time by himself, so he had a really strong ride today. For me it was good that he used a lot of energy because then at the end I just managed to beat him.”

How it happened

The chaotic 175.5 km stage featured two intermediate sprints and six categorised climbs, including the category 1 ascent up King Ridge Road summit.

Shortly after the Harrison Grade Road KOM, which Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo) won, the main break of the day formed with 14 riders. Chaos ensued as race radio and the commissaires repeatedly lost communication on the narrow, tree-lined coastal roads.

Multiple teams were represented in the move, which contained a handful of big names, including Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), Toms Skujins (Cannondale), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), and mountains classification leader Evan Huffman (Rally Cycling).

The peloton did not give the breakaway much room, keeping the move pegged at less than two minutes for most of the race. The chase was primarily driven by Etixx-Quickstep, riding in support of Julian Alaphilippe’s yellow jersey, and Direct Energie, riding for sprinter Bryan Coquard.

Huffman secured the climbers jersey on the second KOM of the day, crossing the line first, followed by teammate Danny Pate.

Sagan shattered the lead group on the Hauser Bridge climb 79km into the race, cutting the move down to six riders. The new lead group included Sagan, Van Avermaet, Krists Neilands (Axeon-Hagens Berman), George Bennett (Team LottoNL-Jumbo), Robbie Squire (Holowesko Citadel), and Javier Megias Leal (Team Novo Nordisk.)

Sagan grew increasingly frustrated with his breakaway companions and attacked the move heading into the second intermediate sprint at Carmet Beach. Van Avermaet functioned as the main anchor in the lead group, protecting team leaders Rohan Dennis and Brent Bookwalter, and refused to take any turns at the front.

Sagan then soloed away, won the intermediate sprint and gained a minute on the break as they headed up Coleman Valley Road to the final KOM.

Back in the field, Lawson Craddock (Cannondale Pro Cycling) attacked and bridged across to the lead group, lending his strength to the chase, but the move had lost steam.

“It was just a really aggressive day of racing all around,” Craddock said. “Everyone wanted to make it hard, and that’s exactly what we did. Oh my god! California stepped it up this year. It was a really brutal race, but it was a lot of fun.”

With Katusha leading the peloton along with Direct Energie and Etixx-QuickStep, the Craddock group and then Sagan were reabsorbed as the field drove to the finishing circuits in Santa Rosa.

Katusha pushed to the front in the final 10km of the race and maintained position at the front in support of Kristoff. With 1km to go, Sagan attached himself to Kristoff’s wheel. Kristoff jumped first, and despite a huge surge and violent bike throw, Sagan could not come around.

Results :
1 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 4:19:52
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team
3 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
4 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
5 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
6 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
7 Travis McCabe (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
8 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
9 Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
10 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Hagens Berman
11 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
12 Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
13 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step
14 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
15 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
16 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha
17 Tao Geoghegan-Hart (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman
18 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
19 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
20 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Katusha
21 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data
22 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team
23 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
24 Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
25 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team
26 Javier Megias (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
27 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
28 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
29 George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
30 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
31 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
32 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
33 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
34 Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling
35 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
36 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie
37 Rob Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
38 Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
39 John Hornbeck (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
40 Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
41 Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
42 Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha 0:00:10
43 Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha 0:00:12
44 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:00:59
45 Krists Neilands (Lat) Axeon Hagens Berman
46 Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling
47 Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
48 Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:01:15
49 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct Energie 0:09:45
50 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data 0:25:42
51 Ben King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
52 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
53 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
54 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo
55 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
56 Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff Team
57 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
58 Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale Pro Cycling
59 Christopher Latham (GBr) Team WIGGINS
60 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step
61 Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
62 Michael Sheehan (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
63 Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
64 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
65 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
66 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
67 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
68 Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
69 Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
70 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
71 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
72 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
73 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
74 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
75 William Barta (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
76 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
77 Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk
78 Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
79 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
80 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team
81 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data
82 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step
83 Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
84 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-Alpecin
85 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team WIGGINS
86 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
87 Chris Putt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
88 Oscar Clark (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
89 Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
90 Adam de Vos (Can) Rally Cycling
91 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
92 Owain Doull (GBr) Team WIGGINS
93 Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
94 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
95 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
96 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
97 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling
98 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky
99 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin
100 Pierrick Naud (Can) Rally Cycling
101 Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
102 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data
103 Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie
104 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling
105 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling
106 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha
107 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team
108 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha
109 Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team
110 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie
111 Daniel Patten (GBr) Team WIGGINS
112 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
113 Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha
114 Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team
115 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team
116 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky
117 Julián Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo
118 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Team Sky
119 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
120 Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
121 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
122 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
123 Michael Thompson (GBr) Team WIGGINS
124 Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie
125 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team WIGGINS
126 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
127 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
128 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
129 William Routley (Can) Rally Cycling
130 Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
131 Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
132 Jake Kelly (GBr) Team WIGGINS
133 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:26:00
DNF Jesse Anthony (USA) Rally Cycling
DNF Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
DNF Mark Christian (GBr) Team WIGGINS
DNF Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
DNF Jordan Cheyne (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
DNF Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling

1 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step 28:46:38
2 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:16
3 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:38
4 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:00:47
5 Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:01:08
6 Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:01:17
7 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
8 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:01:24
9 George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:01:45
10 Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha 0:01:48
11 Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling 0:01:57
12 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:58
13 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:02
14 Tao Geoghegan-Hart (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:02:55
15 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:03:17
16 Javier Megias (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk 0:03:18
17 Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:04:58
18 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data 0:05:06
19 John Hornbeck (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:05:55
20 Rob Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:06:00
21 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:06:41
22 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:06:46
23 Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:07:33
24 Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha 0:09:15
25 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:10:30
26 Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:11:00
27 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:11:18
28 Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha 0:11:56
29 Travis McCabe (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:13:26
30 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct Energie 0:15:37
31 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:17:37
32 Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:18:08
33 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky 0:18:21
34 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team 0:19:31
35 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo 0:19:34
36 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:21:56
37 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:22:27
38 Taylor Sheldon (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:22:59
39 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:23:17
40 Krists Neilands (Lat) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:26:47
41 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:27:17
42 Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:28:14
43 Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:28:37
44 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie 0:29:22
45 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:31:18
46 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:31:20
47 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:33:52
48 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:34:18
49 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:34:57
50 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:36:05
51 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Katusha 0:36:39
52 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:37:51
53 Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data 0:40:10
54 Gregory Daniel (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:42:33
55 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:45:17
56 Geoffrey Curran (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:45:32
57 Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:45:38
58 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:46:05
59 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 0:46:30
60 Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie 0:47:05
61 Ben King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:47:24
62 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data 0:47:29
63 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:48:40
64 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie 0:48:54
65 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky 0:49:26
66 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Team Sky 0:50:13
67 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:51:00
68 Andzs Flaksis (Lat) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:51:21
69 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling 0:51:26
70 Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:51:44
71 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:52:37
72 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:52:38
73 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk 0:56:08
74 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:57:24
75 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:57:59
76 Adam de Vos (Can) Rally Cycling 0:58:00
77 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:58:15
78 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling 0:59:44
79 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:59:59
80 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 1:00:44
81 Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale Pro Cycling 1:01:15
82 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx – Quick-Step 1:02:50
83 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling 1:04:12
84 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 1:04:37
85 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 1:06:04
86 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie 1:07:02
87 Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha 1:08:05
88 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky 1:08:09
89 William Barta (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 1:09:06
90 Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 1:09:32
91 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk 1:10:16
92 Owain Doull (GBr) Team WIGGINS 1:11:11
93 Michael Sheehan (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 1:12:39
94 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha 1:13:22
95 Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 1:14:19
96 Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin 1:15:31
97 Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie 1:16:06
98 Dennis van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 1:17:17
99 Daniel Patten (GBr) Team WIGGINS 1:17:24
100 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 1:17:29
101 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 1:19:22
102 Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 1:19:29
103 Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 1:20:06
104 Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff Team 1:20:16
105 Michael Thompson (GBr) Team WIGGINS 1:21:34
106 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk 1:21:54
107 Julián Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo 1:22:40
108 William Routley (Can) Rally Cycling 1:22:50
109 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team 1:23:09
110 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 1:23:16
111 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 1:23:19
112 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team WIGGINS 1:23:48
113 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 1:24:18
114 Chris Putt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 1:24:35
115 Pierrick Naud (Can) Rally Cycling 1:26:07
116 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team 1:26:37
117 Oscar Clark (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 1:27:02
118 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky 1:28:27
119 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha 1:29:09
120 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team 1:30:07
121 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team WIGGINS 1:30:37
122 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 1:30:48
123 Jake Kelly (GBr) Team WIGGINS 1:31:31
124 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data 1:31:36
125 Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data 1:31:42
126 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 1:31:48
127 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data 1:32:10
128 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data 1:33:37
129 Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk 1:34:32
130 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 1:34:52
131 Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team 1:37:46
132 Christopher Latham (GBr) Team WIGGINS 1:37:55
133 Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team 1:43:17