Van Avermaet wins TDF Stage 13

Rodez - Greg van Avermaet won his first stage on the Tour de France on Friday as Peter Sagan finished second for the fourth time this year.

Belgian Van Avermaet won the 198.5km 13th stage from Muret to Rodez at the end of a tough 600m climb to the finish.

But it was yet more heartache for Sagan, who has not won a Tour stage in two years, taking 20 top-five finishes since that last success, as Jan Bakelants was third.

Race leader Chris Froome came home seventh in a group, seven seconds back, alongside all his major yellow jersey rivals.

He leads Tejay Van Garderen by 2:52 with Nairo Quintana third at 3:09.

On a baking hot day with temperatures touching 40-degrees Celsius, a six-man breakaway took off early in the stage.

But they were down to just three - Wilco Kelderman, Cyril Gautier and Thomas De Gendt - with 15km remaining.

Having peaked during the stage at four minutes, their lead was just 50 seconds with 10km to go and they were finally caught inside the last 500 metres.

Frenchman Arnaud Demare attacked out of the peloton but ran out of steam as Van Avermaet surged past.

The Belgian had Sagan ideally placed on his wheel and the Slovak looked sure to beat him in the sprint finish.

But Van Avermaet wouldn't be denied and when Sagan tried to come past, the Belgian just dug in harder to take the greatest win of his career.

Like Sagan - second nine times since his last Tour stage win - Van Avermaet had many times narrowly missed out on important wins.

Third in Paris-Roubaix earlier this year having finished fourth in 2013, third also at the Tour of Flanders in April having finished second last year, the 30-year-old now has a major win to his name.

For Sagan there was one consolation - he held onto his green points jersey having lost it, virtually, on the road after the intermediate sprint to Andre Greipel.

Standings from the 13th stage of the Tour de France, a 198.5km ride from Muret to Rodez on Friday:

1. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) 4h43min 42sec (average: 42 km/h)
2. Peter Sagan (SVK/TIN) at 0:00.
3. Jan Bakelants (BEL/ALM) 0:03.
4. John Degenkolb (GER/GIA) 0:07.
5. Paul Martens (GER/LNL) 0:07.
6. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 0:07.
7. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 0:07.
8. Alberto Contador (ESP/TIN) 0:07.
9. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 0:07.
10. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 0:07.
11. Tony Gallopin (FRA/LOT) 0:07.
12. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 0:07.
13. Robert Gesink (NED/LNL) 0:07.
14. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 0:07.
15. Zdenek Stybar (CZE/ETI) 0:17.
16. Warren Barguil (FRA/GIA) 0:17.
17. Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI) 0:17.
18. Mathias Frank (SUI/IAM) 0:17.
19. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 0:17.
20. Wilco Kelderman (NED/LNL) 0:24.
21. Tanel Kangert (EST/AST) 0:28.
22. Armindo Fonseca (FRA/BSE) 0:28.
23. Jos Herrada (ESP/MOV) 0:28.
24. Serge Pauwels (BEL/MTN) 0:28.
25. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:28.
26. Mickal Cherel (FRA/ALM) 0:28.
27. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/BMC) 0:28.
28. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 0:37.
29. Thomas De Gendt (BEL/LOT) 0:37.
30. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/MTN) 0:37.
31. Andrew Talansky (USA/CAN) 0:42.
32. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 0:42.
33. Jarlinson Pantano (COL/IAM) 0:45.
34. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) 0:45.
35. Arnaud Dmare (FRA/FDJ) 0:47.
36. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AST) 0:57.
37. Mark Cavendish (GBR/ETI) 0:58.
38. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/LAM) 0:58.
39. Eduardo Sepulveda (ARG/BSE) 0:58.
40. Nlson Oliveira (POR/LAM) 0:58.
41. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 0:58.
42. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/LOT) 0:58.
43. Kristjan Koren (SLO/CAN) 1:13.
44. Laurens ten Dam (NED/LNL) 1:16.
45. Nicolas Roche (IRL/SKY) 1:16.
46. Benot Vaugrenard (FRA/FDJ) 1:18.
47. Stef Clement (NED/IAM) 1:23.
48. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA/MTN) 1:25.
49. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 1:26.
50. Julien Vermote (BEL/ETI) 1:28.
51. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 1:28.
52. Adriano Malori (ITA/MOV) 1:33.
53. Michal Golas (POL/ETI) 1:58.
54. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/IAM) 1:58.
55. Jan Brta (CZE/BOA) 1:58.
56. Alexis Vuillermoz (FRA/ALM) 1:58.
57. Tiago Machado (POR/KAT) 1:58.
58. Michael Schr (SUI/BMC) 1:58.
59. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/TRE) 1:58.
60. Steve Morabito (SUI/FDJ) 1:58.
61. Reto Hollenstein (SUI/IAM) 1:58.
62. Rubn Plaza (ESP/LAM) 1:58.
63. Bob Jungels (LUX/TRE) 1:58.
64. Adam Yates (GBR/ORI) 1:58.
65. Angelo Tulik (FRA/EUC) 2:14.
66. Lieuwe Westra (NED/AST) 2:19.
67. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/TIN) 2:19.
68. Stephen Cummings (GBR/MTN) 2:19.
69. Bram Tankink (NED/LNL) 2:19.
70. Matteo Trentin (ITA/ETI) 2:22.
71. Bryan Coquard (FRA/EUC) 2:24.
72. Winner Anacona (COL/MOV) 2:24.
73. Marco Haller (AUT/KAT) 2:24.
74. Marcel Wyss (SUI/IAM) 2:27.
75. Jrome Coppel (FRA/IAM) 2:27.
76. Rigoberto Uran (COL/ETI) 2:27.
77. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/MOV) 2:32.
78. Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP/MOV) 2:32.
79. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/BOA) 2:41.
80. Romain Sicard (FRA/EUC) 2:49.
81. Daniel Teklehaimanot (ERI/MTN) 2:52.
82. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA/BSE) 3:04.
83. Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA/MTN) 3:09.
84. Simon Geschke (GER/GIA) 3:16.
85. Alexandre Geniez (FRA/FDJ) 3:36.
86. Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA/FDJ) 3:36.
87. Alberto Losada (ESP/KAT) 3:41.
88. Bauke Mollema (NED/TRE) 0:07.
89. Perrig Quemeneur (FRA/EUC) 4:00.
90. Matteo Bono (ITA/LAM) 4:26.
91. Rafael Valls (ESP/LAM) 4:26.
92. Pierre-Luc Perichon (FRA/BSE) 4:53.
93. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 5:03.
94. Geoffrey Soupe (FRA/COF) 5:21.
95. Pieter Weening (NED/ORI) 5:31.
96. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 5:44.
97. Nathan Haas (AUS/CAN) 5:44.
98. Markel Irizar (ESP/TRE) 5:55.
99. Brice Feillu (FRA/BSE) 5:55.
100. Martin Elmiger (SUI/IAM) 5:55.
101. Wout Poels (NED/SKY) 5:59.
102. Daniel Martin (IRL/CAN) 6:07.
103. Simon Yates (GBR/ORI) 6:50.
104. Jos Mendes (POR/BOA) 7:44.
105. Julien Simon (FRA/COF) 8:11.
106. Rohan Dennis (AUS/BMC) 8:13.
107. Kristijan Durasek (CRO/LAM) 8:28.
108. Jos Serpa Perez (COL/LAM) 8:28.
109. Damiano Caruso (ITA/BMC) 8:28.
110. Danilo Wyss (SUI/BMC) 8:28.
111. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/BSE) 8:28.
112. Florian Vachon (FRA/BSE) 8:28.
113. Nicolas Edet (FRA/COF) 8:28.
114. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 8:28.
115. Leopold Knig (CZE/SKY) 8:54.
116. Koen de Kort (NED/GIA) 9:43.
117. Luke Rowe (GBR/SKY) 9:43.
118. Giampaolo Caruso (ITA/KAT) 9:43.
119. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 9:43.
120. Daniel Navarro (ESP/COF) 9:43.
121. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/CAN) 9:43.
122. Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 9:43.
123. Merhawi Kudus (ERI/MTN) 9:43.
124. Florian Snchal (FRA/COF) 9:43.
125. Louis Meintjies (RSA/MTN) 9:43.
126. Michael Rogers (AUS/TIN) 9:43.
127. Jacopo Guarnieri (ITA/KAT) 10:03.
128. Daniel Oss (ITA/BMC) 10:03.
129. Dmitriy Gruzdev (KAZ/AST) 10:03.
130. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 11:22.
131. Arnaud Gerard (FRA/BSE) 11:22.
132. Paul Voss (GER/BOA) 11:24.
133. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/TIN) 11:24.
134. Gregory Rast (SUI/TRE) 11:24.
135. Luke Durbridge (AUS/ORI) 11:24.
136. Svein Tuft (CAN/ORI) 11:24.
137. Ian Stannard (GBR/SKY) 11:26.
138. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 11:26.
139. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL/ETI) 11:26.
140. Bartosz Huzarski (POL/BOA) 11:26.
141. Damien Gaudin (FRA/ALM) 11:26.
142. Peter Kennaugh (GBR/SKY) 12:03.
143. Tylan van Baarle (NED/CAN) 12:10.
144. Jos van Emden (NED/LNL) 12:10.
145. Adam Hansen (AUS/LOT) 12:10.
146. Davide Cimolai (ITA/LAM) 12:10.
147. Andriy Grivko (UKR/AST) 12:10.
148. Roy Curvers (NED/GIA) 12:10.
149. Frdric Brun (FRA/BSE) 12:10.
150. Stijn Devolder (BEL/TRE) 12:10.
151. Jens Debusschere (BEL/LOT) 12:10.
152. Matthias Brandle (AUT/IAM) 12:10.
153. Mark Renshaw (AUS/ETI) 12:10.
154. Sebastien Chavanel (FRA/FDJ) 12:10.
155. Tyler Farrar (USA/MTN) 12:10.
156. Michael Andersen (DEN/TIN) 12:10.
157. Laurent Didier (LUX/TRE) 12:10.
158. Julian Arredondo (COL/TRE) 12:10.
159. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/LNL) 12:10.
160. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 12:10.
161. Andre Greipel (GER/LOT) 12:10.
162. Marcel Sieberg (GER/LOT) 12:10.
163. Tom Leezer (NED/LNL) 12:10.
164. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 12:10.
165. Albert Timmer (NED/GIA) 12:17.
166. Tim Wellens (BEL/LOT) 12:34.
167. Christophe Laporte (FRA/COF) 12:39.
168. Bryan Naulleau (FRA/EUC) 21:25.
169. Georg Preidler (AUT/GIA) 21:25.
170. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 21:25.
171. Kenneth Vanbilsen (BEL/COF) 21:25.
172. Sebastian Langeveld (NED/CAN) 21:25.
173. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/CAN) 21:25.
174. Ramon Sinkeldam (NED/GIA) 21:37.
175. Sam Bennett (IRL/BOA) 21:37.