Alaphilippe, Martin share Tour de France combativity award after long two-up breakaway

Tony Martin shares the combativity stage with teammate Julian Alaphilippe

Tony Martin shares the combativity stage with teammate Julian Alaphilippe (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

This Tour de France is making a habit of taking a liberal approach to the letter of the law. After the shenanigans on Mont Ventoux last Thursday, there was another deviation from the rulebook in Berne on stage 16 as the combativity prize was awarded to two riders rather than one. Unlike the fall-out on the 'Giant of Provence', however, this latest confected decision had nothing but a feel-good factor about it.

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Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is an NCTJ-trained journalist, and former deputy editor of Cyclingnews, who has seven years’ experience covering professional cycling. He has a modern languages degree from Durham University and has been able to put it to some use in what is a multi-lingual sport, with a particular focus on French and Spanish-speaking riders. Away from cycling, Patrick spends most of his time playing or watching other forms of sport - football, tennis, trail running, darts, to name a few, but he draws the line at rugby.