Australian Michael Matthews has completed his set of grand tour victories after prevailing in the 10th stage of the Tour de France at the end of a 'royal' breakaway.
Australian cyclist Michael Matthews. Photo: Photosport
Matthews, with three Vuelta and two Giro d'Italia stage wins to his name, outsprinted his breakaway companions after 197km from Escaldes-Engordany, Andorra, benefiting from the support of two of his Orica-Bike Exchange teammates.
Slovakian World champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), who reclaimed the green jersey for the points classification from Briton Mark Cavendish, took second place and Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) finished third.
Briton Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after finishing safe in the main peloton more than nine minutes off the pace.
Australia's Richie Porte remains two minutes and ten seconds behind Froome.
The stage got off to a nervous start on the category-one climb to the Port d'Envalira, as riders were keen to win places in the day's breakaway which took its final shape after about 60 kilometres.
It was a 'royal' break as six of the 15 fugitives had already worn the yellow jersey and nine of them were Tour stage winners.
With 24km left, Sagan's brutal acceleration on a small rise split the group and only seven, including two of Matthews's team mates, remained in front.
Matthews benefited from compatriot and teammate Luke Durbridge's work to keep the chasers at bay and then stayed in Sagan's wheel as his other teammate, South African Daryl Impey, led the group in the lead-up to the final sprint.
Matthews then delivered with an impressive burst of speed over the final 200 metres.
-Reuters
