The Tour de France is almost finished and it has become almost entirely a race of attrition. With just two days of racing left before the peloton will close things out in Paris, Taylor Phinney (EF Education First-Drapac) and Slovakian Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) departed on a day of survival.
Just two days separated the peloton of the 2018 Tour de France from Paris when they awoke on Friday morning. For American Taylor Phinney (EF Education First-Drapac) and Slovakian Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) stage 19 would be extra tough.
Phinney took a tumble early in stage 19 and hit a tree with his face. The Tour doctor had to set hit broken nose on the road. Phinney was the last person across the line, but he made the cut off (by minutes) and should be able to finish in Paris.
Phinney came across the line with blood down his face. Went off the road, hit a tree, broke his nose. All cut up. pic.twitter.com/Wjn6mkNqBS
— Caley Fretz (@CaleyFretz) July 27, 2018
Sagan reportedly said, “It’s the worst day I’ve had on a bike for 10 years.”
Unsurprising, given his crash on the descent of Col de Val Louron-Azet during stage 17. He finished that day in a kit that looked more like fishnets than a jersey and bib. He also made the stage 19 cut off and will likely make it to Paris with the green jersey intact.