Edvald roommate took MTN-QHUBEKA first leg victory – TV 2

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Mende / Bergen (TV 2): British Stephen Cummings won impressively Saturday’s grueling Tour de France stage.

Cummings won ahead of French duo Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet.

It’s MTN-QHUBEKA first stage victory in the Tour, and the first triumph of an African team since the debut of three-week race this summer.

Boasson Hagen: – Totally raw

Cummings – that’s roommate with Edvald Boasson Hagen – told TV 2 already before the stage that he would attempt to walk in breach .

– I knew I was the strongest climber and that it was going to be difficult, but it’s harder to take me downhill and on flat ground. I always dreamed of winning a stage like this, says clearly touched Cummings finish.

Edvald make their own coffee in the Tour:

Also Boasson Hagen – who crossed the finish line 20 minutes behind his teammate – rejoiced over big victory.

– It is totally awesome. He has shown strength for several days. He also said that to me that he will win when he first comes in failure. He has talked about this in the Room, he said to TV 2.

Boasson Hagen even had a tough day on the bike.

– It could have been much better for me today but it was hot and hooded in the opening. It was extremely hard today, but I did not expect to be so run tomorrow, he said.

The victory is undoubtedly a major upturn for MTN-QHUBEKA which has been very offensive and shown driving force in his first Tour. Etappeseirene has still been lacking until now.

– It was Edvald coffee which did the trick

Won on Mandela Day

The historic victory also means extra lot for the team, since July 18 is Nelson Mandela Day, which made marked with their own helmets along on stage.

– He is wonderful and good tempo, but we thought inflation would be too hard for him. He has also climbed this slope before. We hoped and prayed to win this leg, especially on Mandela’s birthday. He pointed out this leg before the Tour and now he has won it. It’s amazing, says sports director MTN-QHUBEKA Douglas Ryder to TV 2.

Kristoff: – Worried about tomorrow

– It is a special day for us. It’s our first Tour and Mandela did so much for world and for South Africa. To win on his birthday is just unbelievable. I’m speechless, says Ryder.

Also Boasson Hagen was aware of the importance of the victory.

– It is incredibly raw for us to get a stage win today. Mandela’s birthday is an important day for this team and it becomes even more important when, say Uplanders.

For Cummings is also the victory his biggest in his career. The former Sky and BMC rider has a stage win of the Vuelta a España in 2012 as his greatest triumph.

Tinkoff-Saxo colorful Owner resented the fact that Peter Sagan extinct on the run.

20 man went early

Cummings was originally part of a massive 20-man breaches that got going early stage. There sat among others Peter Sagan, Rigoberto Uran and Friday’s stage winner Greg Van Avermaet, in addition to said Pinot and Bardet.

Not surprisingly cracked break up at the end and several tried to stick up the penultimate hill, including Michal Golas and Kristjan Koren.

Up the final hill lost however piffen and were picked up by the remnants of the break. Bardet and Pinot were most aggressive up the steep hill – with the steepest average increase in this year’s Tour by 10.1 percent – and seemed to have good control of the game.

Michael Rasmussen was booed thoroughly by Peter Kennaugh before stage start.

Cummings, however, came like a bullet past the ground and rumbled because the duo into the palms towards the goal.

Inn on the run was Cummings completely superior and had time to rejoice and enjoy the moment properly.

Quintana up to 2nd place

For overall leader Chris Froome was a bit more hectic today than both he – and most others – had expected.

The Briton defended his lead once again, but was put under pressure up the last hill of including Nairo Quintana and Vincenzo Nibali.

Froom had However, control and sprinted even from rivals into his head.

Quintana’s run, he sent still up from 3rd place to 2nd place in the GC, as Tejay van Garderen ” got it “on the way up to the finish.

Froom now leads the Tour with 03.10 ahead Quintana and 3:32 ahead of van Garderen.

There was otherwise no changes in the other jersey competitions : Sagan holds the green points jersey, Froom keeps on climbing apparel and Quintana leader youth competition.