This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.
Ruben Plaza (Lampre Merida) soloed to the win on stage 16 of the Tour de France into Gap after jumping clear of the day’s main break on the final climb of the Col de Manse.
The Spanish veteran attacked from a group that included Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) who gave chase with a nail-biting descent but once again had to settle for second on the stage with the consolation of extending his advantage in the Green Jersey competition. Jarlinson Pantano (I AM Cycling) finished the stage in third place.
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Plaza, once implicated but later cleared in the Operación Puerto, timed his attack to perfection on the Col de Manse, allowing for his breakaway companions to soften each other up. After Sagan closed down one of number of initial moves, Plaza slipped clear as the gradient began to bite.
Despite a block headwind on the climb Plaza was able to open up a minute’s advantage by the time he crested the summit as nine remaining men from the break cancelled each other out.
On the technical, even dangerous descent Plaza held his nerve, although there brief flashbacks to Joseba Beloki’s fall in here 2003 when the Lampre climber locked his wheels on a righthand corner. However he remained upright and despite a valiant, and hugely impressive descent from Sagan, Plaza was able to hang on for the win.
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