Greig Leach

It is stunning to thing that after racing 209 kilometers, the winner of the race is a matter of two or three centimeters, maybe less. While everyone hoped that the day would go to Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo) who lives in Bern and is racing his final Tour de France, no gifts are giving in professional cycling. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) who was still looking for his first stage when in this Tour de France was just beaten by Peter Sagan's (Tinkoff) bike throw to the line. This is Sagan's third stage victory matching his Tour debute in 2012. Cancellara managed a sixth place, but you can only see his shoulder in this painting (again I am limited by what the broadcasts provide). John Degenkolb (Etixx-Quickstep) grabbed fourth proving his return to form after the horrific training accident this spring. Micheal Matthews (Orica-BikeExchange) held on for fifth although I am sure he would have preferred to repeat his earlier stage victory. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) had hoped to take the stage for his South African team on this, Nelson Mandela Day. Unfortunately ninth on the stage was the best he could manage. The cobbled climb at just two kilometers left to go proved too much for many sprinters (and others). Sagan, however, won his Rainbow Jersey on a pair of cobbled climbs in Richmond, Virginia, both steeper than today's finale.