Tour de France factors classification chief Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) crashed in a roundabout within the last kilometre of stage 16 in what was one of many final alternatives for the sprinters on this yr’s race.
Girmay’s lead within the inexperienced jersey competitors fell to only 32 factors as Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) received his third stage of the race in Nîmes.
Before Tuesday’s stage, Girmay’s lead was a much more snug 96 factors, however Philipsen beat him within the intermediate dash to achieve 4 factors greater than the Eritrean and claimed 50 factors for the stage win.
There is just one extra stage potential for the sprinters with a hilly stage 18 to Barcelonnette the ultimate likelihood in a last week full of hovering mountain finishes earlier than the ultimate time trial in Nice on Sunday.
Philipsen expressed his concern for Girmay after listening to concerning the crash and mentioned he wasn’t certain he may overtake the factors classification chief.
“He’s climbing rather well. I simply hope he is OK after the crash, as a result of he does not deserve but to lose like this,” Philipsen mentioned.
More to return.
