Just weeks after getting his first pro win in the Dauphine, BORA-hansgrohe’s Lennard Kamna picked up a win in Stage 16 of the 2020 Tour de France. The young rider rode away from a group of escapees to finish over a minute ahead of Richard Carapaz of the INEOS Grenadiers team.
156 riders took the start of stage 16 at La Tour-du-Pin. It was a very active start. A 25 riders group rode away at km 8, including French attackers Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) along with Richard Carapaz (Ineos-Grenadier). Carapaz attacked again after the regrouping at km 17. Nicolas Roche (Sunweb) went with him. They formed a front group of 15 riders with addition at km 22 of Andrey Amador (Ineos-Grenadier), Lennard Kämna, Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe), Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Sébastien Reichenbach (Groupama-FDJ), Alberto Bettiol (EF Education First), Winner Anacona, Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic), Imanol Erviti, Carlos Verona (Movistar Team), Matteo Trentin (CCC Team), Chris Juul Jensen (Mitchelton-Scott), Roche (Sunweb), Quentin Pacher (B&B Hotels-Vital Concept). Trentin took 20 points at the intermediate sprint at km 44.5. It became an 18-man breakaway group when Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-Vital Concept), Tiesj Benoot and Casper Pedersen (Sunweb) made the junction at km 56.
Rolland crested col de Porte in the lead. Neilson Powless (EF), Pavel Sivakov (Ineos-Grenadier), Romain Sicard (Total Direct Energie), Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott) and Simon Geschke (CCC) bridged the gap at km 56 to make it a front group of 23 riders. Rolland also soloed to take another 5 KOM points atop côte de Revel. The deficit of the peloton was 12’ with 60km to go and 12’30’’ with 40km to go. Pacher was first to attack from the leading group 35km before the end as they started climbing to St-Nizier-du-Moucherotte (cat. 1). 6km before the summit, following a strong pull by Amador, four riders went behind the Frenchman: Reichenbach, Carapaz, Kämna and Alaphilippe. It made a leading group of five riders 25km before the end. Kämna sped up to take the KOM and continued solo after the summit with 18km remaining.
LENNARD KÄMNA SMART AND STRONG
After seizing the right moment to get rid of the winner of the 2019 Giro d’Italia, Kämna remained composed till the end. Being a stronger time trialist than Carapaz, he only extended his lead over the Equatorian who left Team Ineos Grenadier with no stage victory at the Tour de France since Geraint Thomas at L’Alpe d’Huez in 2018. Swiss national champion Sébastien Reichenbach (Groupama-FDJ) rounded out the podium.
“I’m feeling great. It has been an absolutely awesome day for me out there. I knew I had to make it to the finish alone in order to win,” said Kamna at the finish. “On the climb, I saw Carapaz was losing speed after his attacks and I understood it was my moment to have a go. This victory is a big relief for the team. As for me, I couldn’t imagine I was able to pull out a victory like this one.”
The yellow jersey group crossed the line more than 16 minutes back and despite a last second attack by Miguel Angel Lopez, there was no significant change in the GC battle.
Stage 16 Brief Results
- Lennard Kamna (BORA-hansgrohe) at 4h12’52”
- Richard Carapaz (INEOS-Grenadiers) at 1’27”
- Sebastien Reichenbach (Groupama-FDJ) at 1’56”
- Pavel Sivakov (INEOS-Grenadiers) at 2’34”
- Simon Geschke (CCC Team) at 2’35”
General Classification After Stage 16
- Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo Visma) at 70h6’47”
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) at 40″
- Rigoberto Uran (EF Pro Cycling) at 1’34”
- Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana Pro Team) at 1’45”
- Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) at 2’03”
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
Websites:
Bike World News
Ron’s Bike Garage
Current Bike Quiver:
Bird Bikes Zero 29 29″ hardtail mountain bike
Commencal Absolut 26″ Dirt Jump/Pump Track bike
Commencal Tempo 29″ full suspension mountain bike
Felt ZA 700c race bike
Kona Kilauea vintage 26″ mountain bike
Niner RLT9 700c road/gravel bike
Specialized Stumpjumper vintage 26″ mountain bike
Day Job: Digital Marketing
Night Job: Digital Marketing, eCommerce Consultant, Web Consultant, Bike Shop Operator, Husband, Dad, Tenor