Australian Michael Matthews wins Tour stage

Two years ago, the Australian rider crashed days before he was scheduled to take a flight to the start of the Tour in England and had to withdraw before the race.

Matthews eventually made his debut at cycling’s biggest race last year but broke four ribs in a crash in the third stage, and struggled until the finish on the Champs-Elysees.

Matthews, who was also involved in the high-speed crash in the Milan-San Remo classic this season, profited from the work of his teammates to win the 10th stage of the Tour after a long breakaway.

Sagan, who attacked from the start in the Andorran town of Escaldes-Engordany, rode at the front throughout the 122-mile trek in rainy conditions, but was overpowered in the final sprint.

The two-time Tour champion has a 16-second overall lead over fellow Briton Adam Yates, with Irish rider Dan Martin in third place, 19 seconds behind.

Six riders, including Matthews’ teammates Daryl Impey and Luke Durbridge, fought for the stage victory in a frenzied finale.

Impey countered the move, Durbridge then tried another attack to wear out Sagan, and the small group stayed compact until the final half-mile.

The stage started with a flurry of attacks in the 15-mile ascent to the Port d’Envalira, the highest climb of the Tour.

Former world champion Rui Costa surged from the leading group and crested the summit with a one-minute gap.

Sagan then secured the green jersey by winning the intermediate sprint at Aigues-Vives, earning 20 more points in the best sprinters’ classification.

Back at the peloton, IAM Cycling and Direct Energie accelerated the tempo and the gap dropped to less than five minutes with 28 miles to go.

Stage 11 is a mostly flat 101-mile leg from Carcassonne to Montpellier near the Mediterranean coast.