Tour de France Stage 16 recap: Another great one-day stage, another young star
Yet another fun one-day profile in the midst of the Tour gave yet another brilliant up-and-comer a chance to announce himself on cycling's biggest stage.
24-year-old Lennard Kamna, who finished second in an ultra-slow motion sprint against Daniel Felipe Martinez on Stage 13, made good this time by going solo from Richard Carapaz and Sebastien Reichenbach with about 20 kilometers to go on Stage 16. His winning move came after he twice reeled in Carapaz's attacks on the Category 1 Montée de Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte. Then with 350 meters to summit, he broke free and put distance into Carapaz and Reichenbach all the way to the finish line, ultimately pumping his fist in celebration with a lead of one minute and 27 seconds.
Kamna's only two individual pro wins have come in the last month. He won Stage 4 of the Critérium du Dauphiné on a similar profile and in almost the same way, catching a group of established heavy-hitters off guard and going solo at the base of an ascent finish. At the time, he called the win the biggest of his career. He might like to update that statement.