2024 Tour de France: Stage 16 Results

In a final run into the line in Nimes that saw sprint leader Biniam Girmay go down in a crash, it was Jasper Philipsen crossing the line first to win Stage 16 of the 2024 Tour de France after a fantastic leadout by his teammate Mathieu Van Der Poel.

Despite the crash, Girmay’s hold on the green is still solid going into the final days of the race.

In the General Classification race, no change for race leader Tadej Pogacar and his closest competitors.

It was the last sprint opportunity of the 2024 race and the last chance for Mark Cavendish to add to his all-time win record at La Grande Boucle. If he could do it today, it would come 16 years after winning in Nimes in 2008. Cavendish powered his way through the Pyrenees and Sunday’s final climb to Plateau de Beille, in order to have the chance of extending his record today: “I did it like the last climb of my entire career. But we had a rest day and… it’s the Tour de France. You give everything to show the race the respect it deserves.”

Coming off of the rest day, today’s stage had a relaxed start, riding together until TotalEnergies rider Thomas Gachignard attacked at km 97 of the stage.

Gachignard enjoyed at most a 2’20” before speeds increased in the final kilometers and he was caught with 25km to go.

It’s a tricky run into Nimes, with a number of large roundabouts to navigate in the final 5km. Hopefully everyone would be able to stay upright.

As expected, speeds ramped up with about 12km to go, hitting 36mph at times.

Inside of 5km to go, the sprint teams were all together, while race leader Tadej Pogacar was well back from the drama at the front. The peloton was stretched 0ut as the speeds increased.

2km to go and Uno-X looks to be in control, but Cav was close to the front, too.

A crash in one of the final roundabouts takes down Biniam Girmay.

At the end, it came down to Mathieu Van Der Poel leading out Jasper Philipsen for his third stage win of the 2024 race.

Stage 16 Brief Results

1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Deceunonck) @ 4h 11’27”
2. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) s.t.
3. Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) s.t.
4. Sam Bennett (Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale)
5. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)

General Classification After Stage 16

1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) +3’09”
3. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) +5’19”
4. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +10’54”
5. Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step) +11’21”
6. Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +11’27”
7. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) +13’38”