Tour de France 2021: Stage 12, as it happened: Nils Politt plays his cards right to win from the break
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Updated 08/07/2021 at 15:57 GMT
After the gruelling climbs of Mont Ventoux, the flatter Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux-Nimes stage of the race was, on paper, one for the sprinters. But a large group has gone up the road after some early splits in the wind - perhaps ending Mark Cavendish's chances of a record-equalling win. You can watch the Tour de France live and ad-free on the Eurosport app and Eurosport.co.uk.
Stage 12 profile: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Nîmes
Cavendish brings home the peloton
The Manxman adds a couple of green jersey points to his tally as he wins the sprint for 14th place as the peloton comes home just under 16 minutes in arrears. There will be no changes in the overall standings, then, with Tadej Pogacar retaining the yellow jersey and his 5'18" lead over Rigo Uran.
Stage 12 top 10
With the peloton still many minutes away from arriving in Nimes, here's your top 10 today after Nils Politt picked the pocket of his fellow escapees...
Fourth place for Kung...
The Swiss just about holds on as he crosses the line around 1'58" down before Luca Mezgec pips Edward Theuns and Andre Greipel for fifth - in what could have been the sprint for victory - when the remnants of the break cross the line a few seconds later.
Victory for Nils Politt!
The German from Bora-Hansgrohe wins Stage 12 after a magnificent solo ride to the line... and it's 34 seconds before Imanol Erviti sprints to second place for Movistar ahead of Harry Sweeny of Lotto Soudal. The Australian goes straight up to Politt to give him a fist pump - which is nice to see - and it's followed by today's winner raising his bike above his head and roaring in celebration.
Final kilometre
Nils Politt has been able to soak up the atmosphere as he enters Nimes and keeps powering to a maiden Grand Tour stage victory. This is his fifth Tour appearance and he's shaking his head in disbelief now after talking into his radio - no doubt to thank his Bora-Hansgrohe DS. Under the flamme rouge he goes and now just one kilometre before his life changes forever...
6km to go: Monster ride from Politt
It's amazing when you see Nils Politt going at it like this that the 27-year-old only has a single win on his palmares - a stage in the Deutschland Tour back in 2018, a year before he finished runner-up to Philippe Gilbert in Paris-Roubaix. He has 15 seconds on Erviti and Sweeny with the other chasers 1'30" back and Kung somewhere in between.
12km to go: Kung collapse
The Swiss must have hit the wall because he took on an illegal feed from the car just now. He's definitely out of the picture but Erviti is back in the frame... well, he is until Politt goes long to open up a good gap over the chasing duo - and neither Erviti nor Sweeny responds.
Behind, Edward Theuns is leading the chase for Trek-Segafredo but he's probably left it too late. They're still over a minute back and Politt now seems to be on a mission.
14km to go: Sweeny the strongest
It's the Tour debutant from Australia who seems to be the man to beat. Sweeny puts in a dig and only Politt can follow. Erviti is rallying but Kung looks cooked. The chasers are now 1'05" down while the peloton is 15 minutes down - but out of that rain.
16km to go: Leaders onto the climb
Their gap is up to 50 seconds now for the four leaders so it's looking good for them - especially if the nine chasers don't get their act together. Some lovely possibilities today... Kung revenging his TT loss with a victory... Erviti with a maiden Tour stage win in his 26th Grand Tour... Sweeny on his Grand Tour debut after Lotto Soudal's difficulties... Politt getting Bora's Tour back on track the day Peter Sagan abandons...
23km to go: It's started to rain
The breakaway appear to have got away with it but the peloton is getting drenched now - and could this be a factor for the second race going on behind? The four leaders now have 34 seconds.
26km to go: Politt 'wins' intermediate sprint
It's the German who leads the quartet through the intermediate sprint at Uzes with a lead of 27 seconds on the chasers. Remember, there's a small climb that comes with around 15km remaining and that could prove to be a launch pad for whoever wins today.
30km to go: Ineos have a pop
After UAE Team Emirates went a different way around a roundabout, Ineos Grenadiers come to the front of the peloton and toy with the idea of giving it the heave-ho. It's a little half-hearted and their tempo-setting doesn't last long. The deficit is over 14 minutes so it's a race within a race.
35km to go: 30 seconds for quartet
These were the kind of riders you'd expect to have gone early - the big powerhouses who would stand no chance if it came down to a sprint in Nimes. They have 30 seconds on the nine other riders and Bradley Wiggins is impressed: "The stage winner is going to be one of these four," he says from the back of his motorbike after piling into the others for being caught napping.
It's a big call what with so far to go - and with so much class behind - but what do I know? I never won the Tour de France. "It's not over yet," though, says Brian Smith - who I imagine is a bit more reasoned when it comes to making predictions than hot-headed Wiggo. Let's see...
40km to go: Four go clear
While taking down a gel, Harry Sweeny puts in an attack on a small uphill grind and he has Kung on his wheel before Politt and Erviti bridge over. Bissegger tries - and fails - to join the party before the world champion finally bites the bullet and ups the tempo behind in a bit to snuff out the danger.
45km to go: Break back together
Stefan Bissegger led the chase and the Swiss managed to bridge over before Imanol Erviti made the connection, too, forcing Andre Greipel to drag the others back into the fold. So, first shots have been fired - but nothing has come of that push from Politt. Erviti is the next to try his luck but that is very short-lived for the man riding his 26th Grand Tour. He's completed all 25 of his previous races, too.
50km to go: Politt pushes on!
The first attack comes from the rangy German Nils Politt whose surge is covered by Connor Swift as the duo open up a small gap. This sparks a frenzy as the rest of the break respond and are now stretched out in a long line. The Bora rider probably knows he has no chance in a sprint and, being the classics man as he is, he thought the best way to have a chance would be to go from distance. Luka Mezgec soon bridges over and we now have three out ahead with a small gap.
52km to go: Almost a minute per rider
The gap is pushing 13 minutes for these 13 escapees with the back of the peloton rather strung out now as we start to enter the business end of this stage, which promised a lot at the start, but has fizzled out somewhat since this move was given some leeway. A reminder of the riders in the break: Andre Greipel (Israel Start-Up Nation), Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe), Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ), Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-Nippo), Connot Swift (Arkea-Samsic), Harry Sweeny and Brent Van Moer (both Lotto Soudal), Luca Mezgec (Team BikeExchange), Sergio Henao (Qhubeka-NextHash) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team TotalEnergies).
65km to go: Formolo leads pack over the top
The peloton has now completed the climb with UAE Team Emirates with their full compliment of riders on the front. It's Davide Formolo who does the honours and leads the bunch over a whopping 11'39" down on our 13 leaders. The Italian was caught out in those early splits but battled back on once the breakaway went clear.
70km to go: Can Sergio Henao keep the run going?
At least one Colombian has won a stage on the Tour de France since 2016 but we're yet to see one top the podium in the 108th edition of the race. There's still 10 more stages to go - including today - so that could change. But you wouldn't put your house on Henao today given the calibre of rider he's brushing shoulders with in this break.
75.5km to go: Only climb of the day done
Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) leads the breakaway over the summit of the Cat.3 Cote du Belvedere de Tharaux (4.4km at 4.6%) which is the only categorised test of the day. The pack has only just started it being as they are 11'15" in arrears. Politt, by virtue of his pacing, pockets the two KOM points on offer, with Stefan Kung taking the remaining point. No change today, then, with Nairo Quintana retaining his polka dot jersey.
80km to go: Greipel - 'I don't know what I'm doing'
Some lovely insight here from Bradley Wiggins, who is doing his roving reporter stuff from the back of a motorcycle. He just did a piece to camera where he said that he pulled up alongside Andre Greipel while the German was taking a leak on the side of the road, and Greipel admitted: "I don't know what I'm doing here because they won't take me to the finish."
That's the dilemma for the 39-year-old: while he's perhaps the fastest finisher, it's likely that there will be so many attacks on the road to Nimes that it won't come down to a sprint. Can he be one of those attackers? It's doubtful but let's wait and see.
85km to go: Last three winners in Nimes
Caleb Ewan won in 2019, Alexander Kristoff in 2014 and that man Mark Cavendish in 2008 for what was the fourth in a sequence which has now reached 33. With the Australian having crashed out of the race, the Norwegian not selected for UAE, and Cavendish now 10 minutes behind in the peloton, we are now certain to have a new stage winner in Nimes.
95km to go: Beast of a break
Rob Hatch has described this as "one of the strongest Tour breakaways we have seen in years". He's not far off. Magnus Backstedt agrees, saying it's a "super break" while Dan Lloyd underlines the "strength and experience" of the move - citing Messieurs Greipel, Boasson Hagen and Erviti who, between them, have ridden 34 Grand Tours. Of course, we also have debutants Harry Sweeny and Brent van Moer, who are both at Lotto Soudal, and Stefan Bissegger of EF Education-Nippo.
110km to go: Three former Tour stage winners in break
Almost nine minutes now for the 13 leaders. It's a stellar group that features three riders who have won stages on the Tour before in Alaphilippe (six times), Greipel (11 times) and Boasson Hagen (three times). Mezgec, meanwhile, has twice finished second on a Tour stage, so he'll be looking to make it third time lucky perhaps.
119km to go: Cleats issue for Cavendish
The green jersey is off the back and trying to sort out a problem with his cleats with a multi-tool. A sign that Cavendish probably doesn't think he'll get a chance to win today - because he's happy to spend the best part of two minutes sorting out the issue, putting him nearly 10 minutes down on the leaders.
Before today's start, Bradley Wiggins talked about the chances of his old friend drawing level with Eddy Merckx's record of 34 Tour stage wins today...
Well, the situation on the road looks like we'll have to wait another day for Cavendish equalling the record. Wiggo also just delivered a piece from the motorbike in which he said he saw that Cavendish was rather cheesed off before the start today because he didn't receive his green skinsuit from the race organisers this morning. As a result, he's riding in Deceuninck-QuickStep shorts and a plain green jersey today. Perhaps that's why he's shown no interest today?
122km to go: UAE Team Emirates on the front
The teammates of yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar have come to the front to control the tempo in the pack, which trails the 13-man break by over seven minutes now. It's not necessarily going to be a trundle all the way to the line, because we still have some sections later on where the wind could come into play. But for now it's very calm and sedate for the defending champion.
Pogacar had a slight wobble yesterday when Jonas Vingegaard attacked one kilometre from the summit of Ventoux, but he rallied to reel in the young Dane before the finish. In the end, because of Ben O'Connor's difficulties, the Slovenian stretched his lead from two minutes to five minutes over his nearest challenger.
128km to go: Five minutes already
The gap has grown to five minutes now for the 13 leaders so it looks like Mark Cavendish is not going to level Eddy Merckx's record today - and it's especially doubtful that Deceuninck-QuickStep will commit to chase down a break that has their man Alaphilippe in it.
No surprise to see many riders with a sprinting pedigree in this move: they know that they cannot beat Cavendish in a head-to-head finish, so this is their best shot. I'm thinking about the likes of Greipel, Mezgec, Theuns and Boasson Hagen. What a story that would be if German veteran Andre Greipel came out of semi-retirement and joined old friend Cavendish as a stage winner...
135km to go: Those 13 leaders in full
The peloton has reformed and sat up so this move is on. The riders are: Andre Greipel (Israel Start-Up Nation, Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe), Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ), Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-Nippo), Connot Swift (Arkea-Samsic), Harry Sweeny and Brent Van Moer (both Lotto Soudal), Luca Mezgec (Team BikeExchange), Sergio Henao (Qhubeka-NextHash) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team TotalEnergies). The gap is already above two minutes as we approach the climb up above the stunning Gorges de l'Ardeche.
140km to go: Baker's dozen are clear
Julian Alaphilippe and the veteran Andre Greipel are among a group of 13 riders who have a 30-second gap on the peloton, which is starting to regroup after those earlier splits off the back. "It can go all the way to the finish but they will have a passenger in Alaphilippe who won't do any work," says Brian Smith - the world champion, of course, is a teammate of Mark Cavendish, who could draw level with Eddy Merckx with a 34th stage win today.
145km to go: Riders ping off the front
Kelly Elissonde, Edward Theuns, Connor Swift and the world champion Julian Alaphilippe have all been in the hunt to get away today. That's the front of the race; behind we're hearing that Geraint Thomas is in the first split at 25 seconds and another Ineos rider, Richie Porte, is in the third at 45 seconds.
150km to go: Morkov among those caught out
"After yesterday, this is going to be a real killer of a day..." So says Sean Kelly, who fears the worst for some of the riders in the two or three groups off the back. Some big names have been caught out, including Thomas De Gendt, Davide Formolo, Pierre Latour, Pello Bilbao and Michael Morkov, the vital lead-out man for Mark Cavendish... that would make things tricky for the man in green if there's a bunch sprint at the end of all these fun and games.
154km to go: Early splits
Bora, QuickStep, Groupama and Qhubeka are all pushing hard and we already have a group of 30-odd riders off the back - and their chase is being disrupted by numerous roundabouts with pinchpoints as the race leaves town. In fact, there seems to be at least three groups off the back and they have fanned out in those traditional echelon format. Lovely stuff!
159.5km to go: Stage 12 under way!
Or is it? Christian Prudhomme, instead of waving his flag, does the old eagle impression with his arms to signal a slight delay to proceedings... there must be some riders off the back needing assistance. When things do get going a few minutes later, it's hectic and fast from the get-go - no doubt because of the blustery conditions.
Peter Sagan a non-starter
The Slovakian showman - largely off the boil since his crash in the finale in Stage 3 - has decided to withdraw from the Tour in a bid to help his knee heel up ahead of the Olympics. He came down hard on his knee and hip in that tangle with Caleb Ewan, then bashed his knee again earlier this week. It flared up during yesterday's double ascent of Ventoux and Sagan - linked with a move from Bora-Hansgrohe to Team TotalEnergies for 2022 - has decided enough is enough.
The Welshman Luke Rowe (Ineos Grenadiers) did not take to the start after he finished yesterday's stage outside the time limit - a blow for Richard Carapaz and the British team, who have failed to gel thus far during a hugely underwhelming Tour for the most successful outfit in recent years.
Windy start could cause chaos...
The big news this morning - besides one high profile withdrawal - was news that there are some hefty winds out there which will have the riders on red alert.
The winds caused a 10-minute delay for the start of the caravane, which is why the riders are a bit behind schedule as they get the race under way. Let's see if those echelons happen or if it's just a load of hot air...
Bonjour le Tour! Ready to rock and roll?
The riders are rolling out of Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux and embarking on the 4.5km neutral zone ahead of the official start to today's 159.5km Stage 12 to Nimes. It's a slightly later start because of some hefty winds (more on that later) and here's what's in store - a rolling transitional ride across the south of France with just the single categorised climb ahead of what could be another bunch sprint in the city which hosted the start of La Vuelta in 2017.
Stage 11 recap: Van Aert in Ventoux wonderland
How best to bounce back from coming second to Mark Cavendish in a bunch sprint? By conquering the legendary Giant of Provence for what you describe as “the best victory” of your already illustrious career.
Beaten by Cavendish on the flat on Tuesday, Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) made amends with a victorious ride from the breakaway over a gruelling double ascent of Mont Ventoux – as the green jersey battled behind to beat the time cut by seven minutes.
On a day which started badly for the Belgian champion’s Jumbo-Visma team – with the early withdrawal of German veteran Tony Martin following yet another crash – Van Aert’s Danish teammate Jonas Vingegaard showed his class behind with a stinging attack from the yellow jersey group that put race leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) in the red on the second ascent of the mythical climb ahead of the nail-biting descent to the finish.
Next up, Deceuninck-QuickStep’s Cavendish will have a chance to draw level with Eddy Merckx’s all-time record of 34 Tour stage wins on Thursday with the 159.5km Stage 12 to Nîmes, where he took his fourth Tour win back in 2008.
Full report here.
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Highlights as Van Aert wins first ever double Mont Ventoux ascent
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