Stage 12 - Fougères - Tours

Race time - 4h52min
Average speed - 44.8km/h

This is a long stage (218km) because the Tour organization wanted to be able to reach Lyon in three days. The finish should suit the sprinters. But it will all depend on what ambitions everyone has now.

Mountain passes & hills: N/A

Intermediate sprints: Km 166.0 - Savigné-Sur-Lathan

Stage Summary:
Five riders made a break for it 3.5km into the race: Francesco Gavazzi (Astana), Romain Sicard (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Manuele Mori (Lampre-Merida), Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil-DCM), and Anthony Delaplace (Sojasun).
The group gained a maximum advantage of around 9:00 over the peloton, but with crosswinds buffeting the course, the peloton eventually seemed nervous to let the quintet get too far in front.
With 15km to go, the break was falling apart. Gavazzi and Flecha continued on as their mates went backward. Delaplace was back in the peloton with 13.5km to go and the two leaders had 15 seconds.

Argos led through the first right-hand bend, blocking Cannondale with four riders across the road, but Sagan stayed fifth wheel. Omega Pharma regrouped behind and Gert Steegmans nailed the final right-hand corner, giving Cavendish a picture-perfect leadout to the front of the race. The pair came from 10 wheels back to open a gap, the former world champion tucked tightly into Steegmans’ big slipstream. But Kittel was there and make it, 5th German stage win.

Classifications:

Stage:
Pos./Name/Time
1.KITTEL Marcel(GER) - 04h49'49''
2.CAVENDISH Mark(GBR) - +00'00''
3.SAGAN Peter(SVK) - +00'00''
4.KRISTOFF Alexander(NOR) - +00'00''
5.FERRARI Roberto(ITA - +00'00''
6.IMPEY Daryl(RSA) - +00'00''
7.ROJAS José Joaquin(SPA) - +00'00''
8.GENE Yohann(FRA) - +00'00''
9.LOBATO Juan José(SPA) - +00'00''
10.DUMOULIN Samuel(FRA) - +00'00''
Overall:
1.FROOME Christopher(GBR) - SKY PROCYCLING - 42h29'24''
2.VALVERDE Alejandro(SPA) - MOVISTAR TEAM - +03'25''
3.MOLLEMA Bauke(NED) - BELKIN PRO CYCLING - +03'37''
4.CONTADOR Alberto(SPA) - TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF - +03'54''
5.KREUZIGER Roman(CZE) - TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF - +03'57''
6.TEN DAM Laurens(NED) - BELKIN PRO CYCLING - +04'10''
7.KWIATKOWSKI Michal(POL) - OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP - +04'44''
8.QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo - MOVISTAR TEAM - +05'18''
9.COSTA Rui Alberto(POR) - MOVISTAR TEAM - +05'37''
10.PÉRAUD Jean-Christophe(FRA) - AG2R LA MONDIALE - +05'39''

Points:
Pos./Name/Pts
1.SAGAN Peter(SVK)         307 pts
2.CAVENDISH Mark(GBR)         211 pts
3.GREIPEL A.(GER)         195 pts
4.KITTEL Marcel(GER)         177 pts
5.KRISTOFF Alexander(NOR)         157 pts

Climber:
Pos./Name/Pts
1.ROLLAND Pierre (FRA) -  49 pts
2.FROOME Christopher (GBR) -  33 pts
3.PORTE Richie (AUS) -  28 pts
4.QUINTANA Nairo (COL) -  26 pts
5.NIEVE ITURRALDE Mikel (SPA) -  21 pts
6.VALVERDE Alejandro (SPA) -  20 pts
7.CLARKE Simon (AUS) - 15 pts
8.DE GENDT T. (BEL) - 14 pts
9.KENNAUGH Peter (GBR) - 14 pts
10.MARTIN Daniel (IRL) - 13 pts
Team:
Pos./Name/Time
1.MOVISTAR TEAM(SPA)  126h47'47''
2.TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF(DEN)  +04'34''
3.BELKIN PRO CYCLING(NED)  06'06''
4.AG2R - LA MONDIALE(FRA)  +11'53''
5.RADIOSHACK LEOPARD(LUX)  +16'03''

Combative:
Name/No./Team
FLECHA Juan Antonio - 204 - VACANSOLEIL-DCM