German wins stage, but Wiggins still the ‘boss’

— Bradley Wiggins doesn’t think the Tour de France needs a “boss” of the pack. At least not him.

But Wiggins, a 32-yearold Briton, is taking charge at cycling’s greatest race and showed leadership Saturday with a bold if unsuccessful effort to help a teammate win Stage 13 — instead won by Germany’s Andre Greipel.

Wiggins f inished the windy and flat 134.8-mile ride from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Le Cap d’Agde on the Mediterranean with his top rivals to retain the yellow jersey for a seventh consecutive day.

Greipel, who turns 30 Monday, earned his third stage victory this Tour — a photo finish showed he won by half a wheel’s length ahead of Slovakian rider Peter Sagan. Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway was third.

Just seconds earlier, Wiggins, with Sky teammate Boasson Hagen on his back wheel, led a speeding bunch of riders around a sharp final bend to overtake two breakaway riders, hoping to set up the Norwegian for a victory.

But Greipel, seeing the Wiggins setup in the works, held close to Boasson Hagen and then outsprinted him in the final few 100 yards to the line.

Such bold displays are unusual from the bearer of the yellow jersey, but Wiggins had his reasons. It’s safer to stay in front of possible trouble in the frenzied pack, and he said he owed one to Boasson Hagen.

“I tried to repay Edvald in some way, because he’s been solid this Tour for me — and all season,” said Wiggins, noting that the Norwegian had been there to escort him in the Alps earlier this week.

Over the years, riders who have dominated the pack, or peloton, with attributes of teamwork, willpower and race mastery, among others, have earned the “boss” moniker.

Lance Armstrong, the retired seven-time champion, and two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador of Spain, are recent examples. Contador is missing the Tour because of a doping ban linked to the 2010 race.

Many believe that Wiggins is well-positioned to become the first Briton to take home the yellow jersey when the Tour ends July 22. But he says it’s not his style to be the dominant force in the pack.

“I don’t think it’s important for the peloton to have a boss, because I think we should all have our own voice, and I’ve never thought that anybody should be above anybody else,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re all equals. I think in the past, when there have been bosses and that, it’s more through fear than respect — it’s certainly something that I have sensed, anyway.”

Wiggins earned more respect than fear Saturday.

“I was impressed by the way Bradley worked for Boasson Hagen in the stage finale, especially with the sharp curve towards the end,” said Nibali, seen as a top contender for the yellow jersey.

After the 13th stage, the top standings didn’t change: Wiggins leads second-place Sky teammate — and fellow Briton — Christopher Froome by 2:05. Nibali is third, 2:23 back, and defending champion Cadel Evans of Australia is 3:19 back in fourth.

Sports, Pages 32 on 07/15/2012

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