Norwegian Rider Wins A Sprint Finish In Stage 12

Stage 12 of this year's Tour had some medium grade climbs, but they were not enough to break up the peloton. In the end, the peloton was able to reel in the breakaway riders and allow the teams to set up their fastest riders for a sprint finish. Sixty riders all finished with the same time, but it was Norwegian Alexander Kristoff who crossed the line first for the stage win. Peter Sagan of Slovakia finished second, and Arnaud Demare of France was the third place finisher.

The next stage won't be one for the sprinters though. While it starts with a category 3 climb and then has a long stretch of fairly flat terrain, it finishes with a difficult category 1 climb followed by another climb so difficult it isn't even rated (and the race finishes at the top of that final unrated climb). These final two climbs could easily shake up the overall standings. Here are the standings after stage 12:

YELLOW JERSEY (Overall Race Leader)
1. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) Astana Pro Team
2. Richie Porte (Australia) Team Sky..........2' 23"
3. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spain) Movistar Team..........2' 47"
4. Romain Bardet (France) AG2R La Mondiale..........3' 01"
5. Thibaud Pinot (France) FDJ.FR..........3' 47"
6. Tejay Van Garderen (United States) BMC Racing..........3' 56"
7. Jean-Christophe Peraud (France) AG2R La Mondiale..........3' 57"
8. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands) Belkin Pro Cycling..........4' 08"
9. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) Lotto-Belisol..........4' 18"
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark) Astana Pro Team..........4' 31"
11. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Omega Pharma-Quick Step..........4' 39"
12. Thomas Geraint (Great Britain) Team Sky..........5' 17"
13. Rui Alberto Costa (Portugal) Lampre-Merida..........5' 34"
14. Mikel Nieve Iturralde (Spain) Team Sky..........6' 03"
15. Pierre Rolland (France) Team Europcar..........6' 47"
16. Christopher Horner (United States) Lampre-Merida..........7' 33"
17. Laurens Ten Dam (Netherlands) Belkin Pro Cycling..........7' 42"

GREEN JERSEY (Best Sprinter)
1. Peter Sagan (Slovakia) Cannondale..........341 pts
2. Bryan Coquard (France) Team Europcar..........191 pts
3. Alexander Kristoff (Norway) Team Katusha..........172 pts
4. Marcel Kittel (Germany) Team Giant-Shimano..........167 pts
5. Mark Renshaw (Australia) Omega Pharma-Quick Step..........118 pts
6. Andre Greipel (Germany) Lotto-Belisol..........117 pts
7. Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium) BMC Racing Team..........100 pts

POLKA DOT JERSEY (Best Climber)
1. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain) Team Katusha..........51 pts
2. Thomas Voeckler (France) Team Europcar..........34 pts
3. Tony Martin (Germany) Omega Pharma-Quick Step..........26 pts
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) Astana Pro Team..........20 pts
5. Alessandro De Marchi (Italy) Cannondale..........18 pts
6. Blel Kadri (France) AG2R La Mondiale..........17 pts
7. Thibaud Pinot (France) FDJ.FR..........16 pts

WHITE JERSEY (Best Young Rider)
1. Romain Bardet (France) AG2R La Mondiale
2. Thibaud Pinot (France) FDJ.FR..........0' 46"
3. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Omega Pharma-Quick Step..........1' 38"
4. Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) Team Giant-Shimano..........14' 16"
5. Peter Sagan (Slovakia) Cannondale..........38' 07"

TEAM STANDINGS
1. AG2R La Mondiale (France)
2. Astana Pro Team (Kazakhstan)..........3' 19"
3. Belkin Pro Cycling (Belgium)..........4' 25"
4. Team Sky (Great Britain)..........4' 56"
5. BMC Racing Team (United States)..........21' 20"
6. Movistar Team (Spain)..........23' 19"