Team Sunweb (France) - Team Sunweb’s Tom Dumoulin produced a stunning performance to take the win at the penultimate stage of the Tour de France and all but secure 2nd in the GC overall standings. His team Sunweb teamate Søren Kragh Andersen also raced strongly to seal 5th on the stage.

The 20th stage of the Tour de France tasked the riders with a hilly 31 kilometre individual time trial, starting from Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle and finishing in Espelette.

Team Sunweb’s Søren Kragh Andersen produced an extraordinary performance to initially take the lead halfway through the race. He would in the end finish in a time of 41 minutes and 43 seconds taking a very creditable 5th place.

This was a key stage for Team Sunweb’s Tom Dumoulin who set off at his own pace passing the 13km mark with a time of 16 minutes and 48 seconds leaving him 16 seconds down on the lead. But Tom Dumoulin showed his class as he picked up the pace once he reached the bottom of the climb. He continued to ride strong to the top and descended fast to the finish to cross the line in first position in a time of 40 minutes and 52 seconds.

Tomorrow’s final stage 21 starts at Houilles and finishes at the famous Paris Champs-Élysées with the course leaning towards the sprinters for a fast finish.

Reactions:

Dumoulin said: “That was crazy! I can’t believe it. I still thought Froome was one second ahead when I crossed line. It has been an amazing last day, I was so nervous. I had such a hard time yesterday, but today it has just been great to take the stage win.”

Team Sunweb coach Luke Roberts (AUS) said: “Going into the time trial all the podium places were up for grabs. Chris Froome still had a chance, Roglic showed he was very strong yesterday and of course Tom was in second. Places were likely to shuffle today it just depended who had the legs. The gap to Thomas proved too big. We kept the focus on Tom’s race. We prepared it as we always do with a recon in the morning and from that moment full focus on his 31km effort. He did a really good well paced ride today and it’s great to cap of this Tour de France with a stage win and secure second in the GC overall.”