Tour de France: The 101st edition of the Tour de France is history and celebrates in Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) a winner who shone above all others and, without detracting from their performance, also the two Frenchmen Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2R -La Mondiale) and eclipsed Thibaut Pinot (FDJ.fr). From a German point of view, the day wins and the seventh overall place of the Czech Leopold König from the Raublinger Team NetApp-Endura were particularly pleasing. Chapeau!
With this photo review we would like to take you with us again for three weeks of excitement, drama and tragedy - step by step, stage by stage.
1st stage | Leeds (UK) – Harrogate (UK)
Royal splendor and Marcel Kittel's first victory of the day in this Tour de France. Three more were to follow. Yellow and green were then handed over by Duchess Kate. Anyone who had reckoned with Mark Cavendish in Harrogate was wrong. At the start of his 17th and last tour of France, Jens Voigt wore the jersey of the best climber. [Link]
2nd stage | York (UK) – Sheffield (UK)
The profile of the second stage resembled that of an Ardennes classic. The fans on the side of the road also made this part of the day a special happening, at the end of which Vincenzo Nibali revealed his ambitions on this tour for the first time by taking over the yellow jersey from Marcel Kittel with his solo victory. [Link]
3rd stage | Cambridge (UK) – London (UK)
Another great day for German cycling on this tour. The NetApp-Endura team was active with Jan Barta, who in the end was happy about the prize for the most active driver of the stage. The day's victory in front of Buckingham Palace went to Marcel Kittel - with what is probably his strongest sprint on this tour. [Link]
4th stage | Le Touquet Paris Plage – Lille
The day that was the beginning of the end for favorite Chris Froome. The defending champion fell and fractured his hand. He continued bravely and was able to experience Marcel Kittel's third victory of the day at the finish. [Link]
5th stage | Ypres (Belgium) – Arenberg Porte du Hainaut
Many had been waiting for this stage. A whiff of Paris-Roubaix blew around the Tour of France, even if it was more like a rainstorm for the drivers. Chris Froome fell again, Nibali was always up to date on the pavement and took the same from his competitors. Victory went to an outstanding Lars Boom. [Link]
6th stage | Arras-Reims
Fourth German day victory in this year's tour - this time by André Greipel. The Gorilla shows that he is in form and that he was wrongly criticized on the previous stages. [Link]
7th stage | Epernay-Nancy
The Italian Matteo Trentin photobomb Peter Sagan's finish photo. On a stage that dem Green Party Slovaks as if tailor-made, he lost out in the end. The Omega Pharma-QuickStep team also made up for the painful exit of Mark Cavendish with the day's win. Once again, the NetApp-Endura team animated the day before. [Link]
8th stage | Tomblaine-Gérardmer La Mauselaine
The first day in the Vosges saw the first exchange of blows among the favourites. Alberto Contador in particular tried to put pressure on the competition for overall leader Vincenzo Nibali on the climb to the finish line. The Frenchman Bel Kadri secured the day's victory as a soloist. [Link]
9th stage | Gerardmer-Mulhouse
Tony Martin! The man from Eschborn plowed through the Vosges as if there were no tomorrow and, in addition to the solo victory, was also able to celebrate the mountain jersey. Behind him, Frenchman Tony Gallopin managed the surprise. He poked fun at overall leader Vincenzo Nibali with a run and captured yellow one day before the French National Day. [Link]
10th stage | Mulhouse - La Planche des Belles Filles
The French National Day saw a merciless Vincenzo Nibali on the finish climb. In the final, the Italian provided a brave driving Joaquim Rodriguez and, in addition to the day's win, also took back the yellow jersey. Another Spaniard had already finished the race at this point. Alberto Contador retired from the Tour after a fall that broke his shin. [Link]
11th stage | Besançon-Oyonnax
Tony Gallopin hits back. The Frenchman had to give up the overall lead on the previous stage, but after the first day of rest he showed himself fit again. In the final he attacked tirelessly and was deservedly celebrated as the winner of the day – ahead of John Degenkolb. [Link]
12th stage | Bourg-en-Bresse-Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne is a place for sprinters. However, those who had counted on another day's success by Marcel Kittel or André Greipel were taught better. Alexander Kristoff celebrated another big victory after his win at Milan-San Remo in the spring. The NetApp-Endura team experienced a black day, losing a rider in David de la Cruz. The Spaniard fell while leading the race and broke his collarbone. [Link]
13th stage | Saint Etienne - Chamrousse
The tour goes into the mountains and Vincenzo Nibali takes time from the competition - a picture that should be repeated several times in the further course of the tour. Leopold König from Team NetApp-Endura had a good day, who animated the finale, but in the end had nothing to oppose to Nibali. [Link]
14th stage | Grenoble-Risoul
The 14th stage of the Tour de France led the peloton to the top of this year's Tour, the Col d'Izoard, which boasts a height of 2360 meters. After the start in Grenoble, however, the field first had to pass the Col du Lautaret, which was waiting in profile halfway through the race. At the finish line to Risoul, the decision was made in favor of Rafal Majka, who secured the day's win. [Link]
15th stage | Tallard-Nimes
Already in the first kilometer the Swiss Martin Elmiger broke away, to whom Jack Bauer caught up a few later. The New Zealander, who also has a German passport, became a tragic figure as the stage progressed. First he and Elmiger defied the doomsday mood that the weather held in store for the drivers in the final, only to be robbed of the day's victory by Alexander Kristoff 50 meters from the finish line. The Norwegian, on the other hand, celebrated for the second time. [Link]
16th stage | Carcassonne - Bagnères de Luchon
The longest day of this year's tour. Michael Rogers gave his team Tinkoff-Saxo another success by breaking away from his companions on the descent to the finish line and thereby duping above all the Europcar duo Thomas Voeckler and Cyril Gautier. [Link]
17th stage | Saint Gaurdens - Pla d'Adet
Another day in the Pyrenees. Another gala performance by Rafal Majka. The Pole secured his second victory of the day and also made everything clear in the fight for the mountain jersey. Behind him, the yellow Vincenzo Nibali increased his lead over the competition. [Link]
18th stage | Pau—Hautacam
The mythical climb to Hautacam gave Vincenzo Nibali the third stage win. Once again he showed Shark of Messina, as he is also called, his teeth. Behind him, the French Thibaut Pinot and Jean-Christophe Peraud in particular showed a strong race, but Leopold König also knew how to impress. [Link]
19th Stage | Maubourguet-Bergerac
Heavy rain overshadowed the stage. In the finale, the wet roads were the undoing of the fastest drivers in particular. Peter Sagan, who already secured the green jersey at this point, fell in the last three kilometers and thus indirectly helped the day's winner Ramunas Navardauskas. The Lithuanian broke away from the field twelve kilometers before the finish line and won solo. John Degenkolb finished second for the second time. [Link]
20th stage | Bergerac-Perigueux
The only time trial of this year's tour was a clear affair for Tony Martin, who was able to celebrate his second victory of the day. Behind him, Jan Barta secured the second day's podium in this tour for the NetApp-Endura team. Vincenzo Nibali made everything clear in the general classification. Despite a defect, Jean-Christophe Peraud managed to overtake Thibaut Pinot. The seventh place overall, which Leopold König achieved with his time trial performance, is sensational. [Link]
21st stage | Evry – Champs-Elysées (Paris)
Oh, Champs-Elysées! - All German starters of this year's tour were allowed to sing this at the end. One louder than all the others. As in the previous year, Marcel Kittel secured the day's victory in Paris and thus four more stage wins. Together with Tony Martin and André Greipel he screwed the German record to seven daily wins in three weeks. Chapeau! Also celebrating were Vincenzo Nibali (Overall), Thibaut Pinot (Best Rider under 25), Peter Sagan (Points), Rafal Majka (Mountains), Ag2R-La Mondiale (Best Team) and Alessandro De Marchi (Most Active Rider). [Link]
The women's race, which Marianne Vos secured, was also a special experience. [Link]
