Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Slovakian Peter Sagan won his 10th career Tour de France stage on the day he wore the green sprinter’s jersey for a record 89th time in Tour history. Sagan, the three-time world road race champion, beat Italian Sonny Colbrelli to the uphill finish of stage five on Wednesday. It’s Sagan’s second stage win of this year’s Tour. “It was a little bit lucky because Colbrelli was coming close again,” said Sagan, who also relegated Colbrelli to runner-up in stage two Sunday. German Erik Zabel wore the green jersey as the top sprinter 88 times in the 1990s and 2000s as he won a record six points classifications, according to Gracenote. Sagan will match Zabel’s record six titles if he’s in green in Paris on July 29. In the yellow jersey race, Belgian Greg Van Avermaet increased his overall standings lead from zero to two seconds by earning a time bonus with seven miles left on Wednesday. But Van Avermaet, the Rio Olympic road race champion, mistimed his sprint, helping allow Sagan to win. “I don’t know if he did it on purpose or if he wanted to drop everybody but I have to say thanks,” Sagan said. After a move from Philippe Gilbert, Van Avermaet accelerated out of the final turn with 300 meters to go but couldn’t maintain his pace. “I tried to win the stage, but it was pretty complicated,” Van Avermaet said. “Phil went early, and he’s still pretty close on GC (general classification) so I couldn’t let him go. I think I went too early in the sprint. I thought the corner was closer to the finish than it really was.” Van Avermaet, the Rio Olympic road race champion, had been tied with BMC teammate Tejay van Garderen for the overall race lead, but van Garderen did not become the second (or sixth) American to wear the yellow jersey due to a tiebreaker. Van Avermaet is expected to cede the lead in upcoming cobblestone or mountain stages. He hopes the man to take it is BMC team leader Richie Porte. Porte and the rest of the overall contenders for the title finished in the same time with the peloton on Wednesday, The Tour de France continues Thursday with stage six, live on NBCSN and NBC Sports Gold (full broadcast schedule here). The Associated Press contributed to this report. OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us! TOUR DE FRANCE: Standings | TV Schedule | Riders to Watch<doc-sep>The most impressive thing about this Peter Sagan victory was that it was so clearly signposted, and yet no one could stop it. In the last 500m he emerged, lurking a handful of riders from the front like an assassin. He briefly toyed with his victims, letting Philippe Gilbert charge over the final hill, allowing Greg van Avermaet to dash for the line, before pouncing in the final 100m to win by two lengths. It is now 2-2 in stage wins between the prodigiously talented Colombian Fernando Gaviria and the enormously skilled Sagan, one trying to win his first ever green jersey, the other trying to clinch a record-equalling sixth, but here the 23-year-old Gaviria couldn’t stick with the roaring pace Team Sky set into the finish and was left behind. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Show all 42 1 /42 Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 1 Saturday 7 July: Noirmoutier-En-L’Ïle to Fontenay-Le-Comte (201km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 1 profile A flat opening stage following the coastline which will expose the peloton to crosswinds from the Atlantic Ocean and is likely to end in a bunch sprint. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 2 Sunday 8 July: Mouilleron-Saint Germain to La Roche-Sur-Yon (182.5km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 2 profile A route through the Vendee countryside with another opportunity for the sprinters to clinch a stage victory. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 3 Monday 9 July: Cholet (team time trial, 35.5km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 3 profile A team trial around Cholet which will give an early indication as to the quality and depth of the leading groups. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 4 Tuesday 10 July: La Baule to Sarzeau (195 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 4 profile The visit to Brittany could be the moment for the dominant sprinter of the Tour to make his mark. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 5 Wednesday 11 July: Lorient to Quimper (204.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 5 profile A tricky stage to Finistere full of narrow roads and short, sharp climbs. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 6 Thursday 12 July: Brest – Mûr de Bretagne Guerlédan (181 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 6 profile The Mur de Bretagne will be scaled twice in the final kilometres in the toughest test of the first week. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 7 Friday 13 July: Fougères to Chartres (231 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 7 profile This is a long stage which invites a breakaway but is likely to won by a sprinter. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 8 Saturday 14 July: Dreux to Amiens Métropole (181 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 8 profile The sprinters could be scuppered by the Normandy crosswinds – conditions will be crucial. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 9 Sunday 15 July: Arras Citadelle to Roubaix (156.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 9 profile A testing route consisting of 22km of cobblestone split into 15 treacherous section which could claim a few casualties. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 10 Tuesday 17 July: Annecy to Le Grand-Bornand (158.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 10 profile A rare trip off the asphalt and on to a gravel road is likely to puncture a few tyres. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 11 Wednesday 18 July: Albertville to La Rosière (108.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 11 A first serious taste of the mountains, albeit on a very short stage. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 12 Thursday 19 July: Bourg-Saint-Maurice Les Arc to Alpe d’Huez (175.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 12 profile A summit finish on top of the Tour de France’s most iconic climb: Alpe d’Huez. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 13 Friday 20 July: Bourg d’Oisans to Valence (169.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 13 profile A gentler day after three stages in the mountains and one for the sprinters to contest. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 14 Saturday 21 July: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Mende (188 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 14 profile A stage with four categorised climbs including a sharp climb to Mende which will hurt tired legs. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 15 Sunday 22 July: Millau to Carcassonne (181.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 15 profile Another undulating day ripe for a breakaway. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 16 Tuesday 24 July: Carcassonne to Bagnères-de-Luchon (218 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 16 profile A long and draining stage with three ascents in the second half to bring out the best in the elite climbers. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 17 Wednesday 25 July: Bagnères-de-Luchon to Saint-Lary-Soulan (65 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 17 profile The shortest regular stage for 30 years and yet a brutal one, finishing on the steep Col du Portet, which could prove decisive. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 18 Thursday 26 July: Trie-sur-Baïse to Pau (171 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 18 profile Some respite for the climbers after three draining days, and another chance for the sprinters to shine. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 19 Friday 27 July: Lourdes to Laruns (200.5 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 19 profile The famous Aspin-Tourmalet combination in the middle of this stage makes it perfect for a yellow jersey assault. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 20 Saturday 28 July: Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to Espelette (individual time trial, 31 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 20 profile A time trial with enough short climbs – including the final Col du Pinodieta – to upset the traditional time triallists. Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 21 Sunday 29 July: Houilles to Paris (116 km) Tour de France 2018: stage-by-stage guide Stage 21 profile The procession into the Champs-Elysees for those that have made it, and one final opportunity for the power riders. He lasted longer than most of the sprinters who dropped from the back of the peloton along the way. Mark Cavendish faced the ignominy of being dropped by the dropees, clearly feeling the effects of a series of short sharp climbs which drained his legs. It has been a frustrating injury-ravaged season for Cavendish and a frustrating start to this Tour, and here he did not look like a man prepared to sweep through the Alps and the Pyrenees to Paris. At the front of the race a seven-man breakaway quickly tore north from Lorient, fronted by Direct Energies’s Sylvain Chavanel and Lilian Calmejane. Gradually they filtered down until only two remained, with Tom Skujins winning enough king-of-the-mountains points at each summit to earn the polka dot jersey on tomorrow’s stage six, the first Latvian to do so in the Tour’s history. Peter Sagan celebrates his victory in Quimper (AFP/Getty Images) Once the peloton swallowed the breakaway, they swarmed towards the narrow bending streets of Quimper as one. Team Sky positioned themselves close to the front and took over control on the race, after BMC had done much of the work all day for Richie Porte and Greg van Avermaet. Gilbert seemed to jump the gun, attacking early and stretching out the pack as they climbed towards the finish, scuppering his team-mate Julian Alaphilippe. The yellow jersey of Van Avermaet took over but as he turned the final corner to the finish, in romped the unmissable ball of muscle in green, Sagan. Sonny Colbrelli tried to follow but could not reel in the Slovakian rider, finishing second with Gilbert third. Recommended Team Sky rider confronts fan on stage five of Tour de France “It was a little bit lucky,” said Sagan.<doc-sep>Last updated on .From the section Cycling Peter Sagan showed his versatility as he won a hilly stage with an uphill finish in typically buccaneering style World champion Peter Sagan outstayed his rivals to win a dramatic uphill sprint finish in Quimper on stage five of the Tour de France. He made his move with 200m to go, beating Sonny Colbrelli and Philippe Gilbert for his second stage win. Greg van Avermaet stayed in the yellow jersey, extending his overall lead with a two-second bonus during the stage. He came seventh, behind Ireland's Dan Martin, while Chris Froome finished safely in the peloton. In an impressive performance from Team Sky, Froome's team-mate Geraint Thomas came home 12th. The Welshman is fourth in the general classification, five seconds off Van Avermaet. Sagan's skills to the fore On a rolling, twisting 204km stage, which demanded technical skills throughout and canny tactics at the finish, Sagan's ability came to the fore. The 28-year-old, who has represented his country in mountain biking at the Olympics, plotted his path to the finish superbly, overhauling Colbrelli in the final few metres. Excluding Monday's team trial, Sagan has two second-placed finishes and two stage victories from the Tour's five race days so far. He won five successive points classifications until 2016 before his run ended last year with disqualification following a crash involving Mark Cavendish. With a 33-point lead over second-placed Colombian Fernando Gaviria and nearly 100 points over the rest of the field, he may well carry the green jersey all the way to Paris. Thomas to be unleashed for second week? Thomas has only one Tour de France stage win to his name Thomas claimed before the start of the Tour that Team Sky would permit him to compete as a contender for the overall title - rather than as support for four-time champion Froome - until at least Monday's first rest day. The plan is apparently to review the situation from there. So far the 32-year-old has done his best to ensure he is given longer to chase yellow for himself. His current contract with Sky expires at the end of 2018. And, although he is rumoured to be close to a renewal, external-link a strong showing as a lead rider, combined with his recent win in the Criterium du Dauphine, would only strengthen his hand in negotiations with them or other teams. Sky's Rowe in 'pantomime' banner row Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford says the behaviour of some fans at the roadside in France is bordering on "pantomime". And it is his riders who have been cast as the villains, with some fans protesting against Sky and lead rider Froome after an anti-doping case against the four-time Tour winner was recently dropped by cycling chiefs. "To a large extent it feels like a pantomime, but as the guy responsible for all the riders and our staff I still have to take it very seriously," Brailsford said. "I know how much work the race organisers have put into security, but some of the fans are behaving the way they are because what they believe is a long way from the truth." He was speaking after Sky's Luke Rowe had earlier snatched a protester's banner which read: "Sky - Go home." The protester, local resident Didier Bregardes, told reporters he was unhappy with the way Sky had handled the doping allegations. Rowe, though, played down the altercation, saying it was "light-hearted and no big deal" and that he had been laughing and joking with the man. "Does this pantomime have a darker side to it? That's a fair comment because a lot of people who chuckle and join in, but there are definitely people out there for whom this is not pantomime in the humorous context," Brailsford added. It came on the day the World Anti-Doping Agency issued a statement external-link about the Froome case to "clarify elements that have been subject to much speculation and misinformation". Stage five result 1. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) 4hrs 48mins 6sec 2. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita/Bahrain - Merida) same time 3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Quick-Step Floors) 4. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) 5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Quick-Step Floors) 6. Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) 7. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing) 8. Soren Kragh (Den/Sunweb) 9. Andrea Pasqualon (Ita/Wanty - Groupe Gobert) 10. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Bahrain - Merida) General classification after stage five 1. Greg van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing) 13hrs 33mins 56secs 2. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing) +2 secs 3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Quick-Step Floors) +3secs 4. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +5secs 5. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Quick-Step Floors) +6secs 6. Bob Jungels (Lux/Quick-Step Floors) +9secs 7. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) +13secs 8. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den/Sunweb) same time 9. Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Education First) +37secs 10. Rafal Majka (Pol/Bora - Hansgrohe) +52secs Selected: 15. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +57secs 16. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott) +1min 2secs<doc-sep>
Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) has enough second places that even a rival's plea could not stop him from storming to his second stage win in the 2018 Tour de France. The Slovakian three-time world champion blasted ahead of his final rival, Italian Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida) in the last metres to win the uphill stage five kick at Quimper. It marked his second stage win and gave him more points to his green jersey lead. "My team-mates did a fantastic job to keep me in front," Sagan said. >>> Five talking points from stage five of the 2018 Tour de France "Greg Van Avermaet launched the sprint too soon, and in fact, it was a help for me and [Sonny] Colbrelli. Thanks Greg! "I spoke with Colbrelli during the stage, I told him not to surprise me. He said, 'come on Peter, at least give me one, but I told him that I already have so many second places at the Tour that I don't want another." Sagan won five consecutive green points jerseys in the Tour de France through 2016, but famously in 2015 he racked up five second places and two third places without a victory. Last year, the jury disqualified him for bumping with Mark Cavendish in the sprint of stage four. He went home with one sprint win. He is back and in charge in 2018, having already won stage two and taken the yellow jersey for a day and on Wednesday, won stage five – a technical and Classics style stage. "Peter is a super strong rider," race leader Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) said. "To drop him, you have to win the team time trial. I don't know what happened there for him. "It's hard to get rid of him, he's a strong climber, sprinter... everything. I always tried to beat him, I can sometimes, but it doesn't happen that much any more." The two often face off in the Classics and in the Tour at times too. Van Avermaet has the jersey, but Sagan has two wins so far. Colbrelli placed second to Sagan on day two and again on day five. Sagan would not gift anything because he is unsure how strong he is in this 2018 Tour de France. "I don't know if I'm at my best," said Sagan. "The other day I had bad moments in the team time trial. I hope to improve." Bora-Hansgrohe controlled the race with Quick-Step and BMC Racing before Sky took over in the final tricky kilometres. "Today everything went well and I also had luck. My companions did an amazing job, Bodnar in the final covered me and brought in the best position. "On the final kick, Sky pulled full gas, Philippe Gilbert has tried to attack from afar and Van Avermaet went too soon, but we calculated the right time. Winning at the Tour is always a nice feeling. "And Sonny? If you try day after day, a win will come."