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SPORTS A21
Saturday 11 July 2015
Froome keeps out of trouble to lead Tour de France in week 1
JEROME PUGMIRE collarbone in a crash in quest a “B’’ sample to be Kristjian Durasek and Span- Norwegian sprinter Alex-
AP Sports Writer Thursday’s sixth stage, forc- tested. In accordance iard Luis Angel Mate. After ander Kristoff attacked first
FOUGERES, France (AP) — ing him to withdraw while with UCI anti-doping rules, those five were caught, the and then Greipel surged
Staying in front has meant wearing the race leader’s Paolini has been provision- peloton eased up and let past him on the left.
staying out of trouble so far yellow jersey. ally suspended. In March, the sprinters go. But this time Cavendish
for Chris Froome at the Tour Froome inherited the lead, the one-day classics spe- “Everyone started to relax burst through some 50 me-
de France. but did not wear the yellow cialist posted his first victory just a little bit more. It’s a ters from the line to deny
After a crash-marred first jersey during stage 7 as a in nearly two years to win nice feeling actually; it’s Greipel a third stage win.
week of the race, the 2013 mark of respect for Martin. Gent-Wevelgem. been such a crazy week,” Saturday’s eighth stage,
champion is exactly in the “It wasn’t ideal to get the On a roasting hot after- Froome said. “It was amaz- which stays in Brittany, is a
position he wants to be — yellow in this way,” Froome noon, Cavendish timed ing to look around to see mostly flat 181.5-kilometer
healthy and wearing the said. his attack to perfection to how many people are (112.5-mile) trek starting
yellow jersey. With the tough mountain catch German sprinter An- wearing bandages and from Rennes and finishing
The British rider’s title de- stages still to come — start- dre Greipel near the line. bleeding through their with a short climb up Mur
shorts.” de Bretagne.q
Britain’s sprinter Mark Cavendish celebrates as he crosses the finish line ahead of Germany’s
Andre Greipel, wearing the best sprinter’s green jersey, to win the seventh stage of the Tour de
France cycling race over 190.5 kilometers (118.4 miles) with start in Livarot and finish in Fougeres,
France, Friday, July 10, 2015.
Associated Press
fense ended early last ing with the Pyrenees next Only Eddy Merckx with 34
year, when he fell three week — Froome is in a stage wins and Bernard
times in two days and, bat- strong position. He leads Hinault with 28 have won
tered and bruised, went two-time Tour champion more Tour stages than Cav-
out of the Tour on stage 5. Alberto Contador by 36 endish.
This year, he has avoided seconds, defending cham- “I’m really happy now,
all three big crashes so far pion Vincenzo Nibali by two years after my last po-
after making up his mind to 1:38 and Nairo Quintana, dium,” Cavendish said. “I
push ahead of any poten- the 2013 runner-up, by 1:56. just waited a little longer so
tial dangers. American rider Tejay Van I could use my speed at the
“Given what happened Garderen, a strong climber end.”
last year, it was a big goal with a best overall Tour fin- Stage 7 started from Livarot
for me mentally rather ish of fifth place, is shaping — a town in the Normandy
than physically to arrive up as a dangerous outsider. region — and ended 190.5
with the attitude that I’m “He’s ridden really well this kilometers (118 miles) later
here to ride at the front of first week,” Froome said. in Fougeres, nestled in the
the race,” Froome said af- “Quintana’s lost a lot of Brittany region.
ter Friday’s seventh stage. time already, that’s a big Contador fell off his bike
“We’ve been proactive in blow for him but I do ex- before the start line but got
doing more work than nor- pect him to be up there in back on to take the start
mal in order to try and stay the mountains.” and was unharmed.
safe.” Meanwhile, the race was Within two minutes of the
Mark Cavendish won a hit by its first doping case stage start, five riders broke
sprint finish Friday for his 26th as Italian rider Luca Paolini away.
career Tour stage victory was thrown out after test- Eritrean rider Daniel Tekle-
— his first since 2013 after ing positive for cocaine on haimanot, wearing the
also crashing out last year. July 7, the day of the fourth best climber’s polka dot jer-
He dedicated his win to his stage, Cycling’s governing sey, was joined by French-
Etixx-Quick Step teammate body said. men Anthony Delaplace
Tony Martin, who broke a The Katusha rider can re- and Brice Feillu, Croatian
