California stage 7: Gaviria takes final stage; Bernal wins overall

Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) continued his sprinting dominance by winning stage 7 of the 2018 Amgen Tour of California on Saturday in Sacramento. The Colombian took his third win of the race in a photo-finish over Max Walscheid (Sunweb) and Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott). Egan Bernal finished safely in the bunch to win the race overall.

The Quick Step team of Gaviria dropped him off with a long way to the finish line and he was forced to hold off a hard-charging duo of Ewan and Max Wakscheid. The young German closed the gap down with a shocking burst of speed and only lost due to Gaviria’s perfectly-timed bike throw.

Egan Bernal’s overall lead was never in danger throughout the day and finished the day as the race’s overall winner. The 21-year-old becomes the first Colombian to win the race. Tejay van Garderen finished second, 1:25 back, with Daniel Martinez coming in third at 2:14. Bernal’s winning margin was the second-biggest win in the event’s 13-year history, with only van Garderen’s 2013 victory larger.

The day-long breakaway of Neilson Powless (LottoNL-Jumbo), Adam De Vos (Rally), Mikkel Bjerg (Hagens Berman-Axeon), Jonny Clarke (UnitedHealthcare) was reeled in with 4 kilometers remaining, Katusha moved to the front to set up their fastman Marcel Kittel. Mitchelton-Scott also moved up for Ewan, but they were all overtaken by Quick Step train.

The pace was so high at the front that three Quick Step riders, including Gaviria, slipped off the front as the sprint was winding up. The Colombian stepped out into the wind to launch his sprint with plenty of speed, but the deceptively long finishing straight meant he nearly faded by the end, with a surging Walscheid closing down. Gaviria beat the big German with a deft bike throw and walks away from California with plenty of confidence.

World champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) finished fourth and leaves the race without a stage win for the first time in his career.

Final general classification, top 20

• 1. Egan Arley Bernal Gomez, (COL) TEAM SKY, in 25:34:19
• 2. Tejay Van Garderen, (USA) BMC RACING TEAM, at 01:25
• 3. Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda, (COL) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 02:14
• 4. Adam Yates, (GBR) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 02:16
• 5. Tao Geoghegan Hart, (GBR) TEAM SKY, at 02:28
• 6. Rafal Majka, (POL) BORA – HANSGROHE, at 03:01
• 7. Brandon Mcnulty, (USA) RALLY CYCLING, at 03:28
• 8. Laurens De Plus, (BEL) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 03:50
• 9. Kristijan Đurasek, (CRO) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 03:59
• 10. Mathias Frank, (SUI) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 04:01
• 11. Gavin Mannion, (USA) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 05:40
• 12. Edward Ravasi, (ITA) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 06:11
• 13. Antwan Tolhoek, (NED) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 07:03
• 14. Rúben Guerreiro, (POR) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 07:05
• 15. Neilson Powless, (USA) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 07:25
• 16. Robert Britton, (CAN) RALLY CYCLING, at 07:33
• 17. Peter Stetina, (USA) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 07:57
• 18. Nicola Conci, (ITA) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 08:07
• 19. Toms Skujins, (LAT) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 08:10
• 20. Ian Boswell, (USA) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 08:24

Full stage 7 results

• 1. Fernando Gaviria Rendon, (COL) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, in 3:07:39
• 2. Maximilian Richard Walscheid, (GER) TEAM SUNWEB, at :00
• 3. Caleb Ewan, (AUS) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at :00
• 4. Peter Sagan, (SVK) BORA – HANSGROHE, at :00
• 5. Miguel Bryon, (USA) HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at :00
• 6. Alexander Kristoff, (NOR) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at :00
• 7. Michael Rice, (AUS) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at :00
• 8. Tyler Magner, (USA) RALLY CYCLING, at :00
• 9. Daniel Mclay, (GBR) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :00
• 10. Kiel Reijnen, (USA) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 11. Ian Garrison, (USA) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at :00
• 12. Travis Mccabe, (USA) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at :00
• 13. Daniel Oss, (ITA) BORA – HANSGROHE, at :00
• 14. Sean Bennett, (USA) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at :00
• 15. Michal KolÁr, (SVK) BORA – HANSGROHE, at :00
• 16. Maximiliano Ariel Richeze, (ARG) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at :00
• 17. Marcel Kittel, (GER) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :00
• 18. Luka Mezgec, (SLO) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at :00
• 19. Patrick Bevin, (NZL) BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 20. Kasper Asgreen, (DEN) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at :00
• 21. Adam Yates, (GBR) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at :00
• 22. Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui, (COL) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at :00
• 23. Ivo Oliveira, (POR) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at :00
• 24. Laurens De Plus, (BEL) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at :00
• 25. Gavin Mannion, (USA) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at :00
• 26. Cyril Gautier, (FRA) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :00
• 27. Lucas Sebastian Haedo, (ARG) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at :00
• 28. Jasper Stuyven, (BEL) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 29. Tao Geoghegan Hart, (GBR) TEAM SKY, at :00
• 30. Michael SchÄr, (SUI) BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 31. Simon Clarke, (AUS) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :00
• 32. Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda, (COL) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :00
• 33. Egan Arley Bernal Gomez, (COL) TEAM SKY, at :00
• 34. Kristijan Đurasek, (CRO) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at :00
• 35. Danilo Wyss, (SUI) BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 36. Mathias Frank, (SUI) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :00
• 37. Pawel Poljanski, (POL) BORA – HANSGROHE, at :00
• 38. Rafal Majka, (POL) BORA – HANSGROHE, at :00
• 39. Tejay Van Garderen, (USA) BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 40. Maarten Wynants, (BEL) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :00
• 41. Rick Zabel, (GER) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :00
• 42. Brandon Mcnulty, (USA) RALLY CYCLING, at :00
• 43. Alex Howes, (USA) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :00
• 44. Rúben Guerreiro, (POR) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 45. Mark Cavendish, (GBR) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at :00
• 46. Tanner Putt, (USA) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at :00
• 47. Taylor Phinney, (USA) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :00
• 48. Antwan Tolhoek, (NED) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :00
• 49. Oliver Naesen, (BEL) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :00
• 50. Ben Gastauer, (LUX) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :00
• 51. Toms Skujins, (LAT) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 52. Luke Rowe, (GBR) TEAM SKY, at :00
• 53. Neilson Powless, (USA) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :00
• 54. Robert Britton, (CAN) RALLY CYCLING, at :00
• 55. Nathan Van Hooydonck, (BEL) BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 56. Brent Bookwalter, (USA) BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 57. Mark Renshaw, (AUS) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at :00
• 58. Edward Ravasi, (ITA) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at :00
• 59. Benoit Cosnefroy, (FRA) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :16
• 60. Sepp Kuss, (USA) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :16
• 61. Pavel Sivakov, (RUS) TEAM SKY, at :16
• 62. Joseph Rosskopf, (USA) BMC RACING TEAM, at :16
• 63. William Barta, (USA) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at :16
• 64. Peter Stetina, (USA) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :16
• 65. Silvan Dillier, (SUI) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :16
• 66. Floris De Tier, (BEL) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :16
• 67. Nicola Conci, (ITA) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :16
• 68. Tom-Jelte Slagter, (NED) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at :16
• 69. Robin Carpenter, (USA) RALLY CYCLING, at :16
• 70. Roger Kluge, (GER) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at :16
• 71. Serghei Tvetcov, (ROU) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at :16
• 72. Anass Ait El Abdia, (MAR) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at :16
• 73. Jhonnatan Narvaez, (ECU) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at :16
• 74. Stijn Vandenbergh, (BEL) AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :16
• 75. Ian Stannard, (GBR) TEAM SKY, at :16
• 76. Ian Boswell, (USA) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :16
• 77. Reto Hollenstein, (SUI) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :16
• 78. Danny Pate, (USA) RALLY CYCLING, at :16
• 79. Matteo Fabbro, (ITA) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :16
• 80. Andrei Krasilnikau, (BLR) HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at :16
• 81. Filippo Ganna, (ITA) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at :16
• 82. Jai Hindley, (AUS) TEAM SUNWEB, at :16
• 83. Juraj Sagan, (SVK) BORA – HANSGROHE, at :16
• 84. Taylor (t.j.) Eisenhart, (USA) HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at :16
• 85. Sebastian Henao Gomez, (COL) TEAM SKY, at :16
• 86. Nils Politt, (GER) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :16
• 87. Iljo Keisse, (BEL) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at :16
• 88. John Murphy, (USA) HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at :28
• 89. Gregory Rast, (SUI) TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :39
• 90. Mikkel Bjerg, (DEN) HAGENS BERMAN AXEON, at :42
• 91. Mike Teunissen, (NED) TEAM SUNWEB, at :51
• 92. Thomas Leezer, (NED) TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :51
• 93. Logan Owen, (USA) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at :51
• 94. Julien Vermote, (BEL) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at :51
• 95. Jack Bauer, (NZL) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at :51
• 96. Lachlan Norris, (AUS) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at :51
• 97. Maciej Bodnar, (POL) BORA – HANSGROHE, at 01:13
• 98. Tom Stamsnijder, (NED) TEAM SUNWEB, at 01:13
• 99. Fabian Lienhard, (SUI) HOLOWESKO | CITADEL P/B ARAPAHOE RESOURCES, at 01:13
• 100. Johannes FrÖhlinger, (GER) TEAM SUNWEB, at 01:13
• 101. Nathan Haas, (AUS) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 01:13
• 102. Evan Huffman, (USA) RALLY CYCLING, at 01:21
• 103. G Lawson Craddock, (USA) TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 01:21
• 104. Scott Davies, (GBR) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 01:21
• 105. Nikias Arndt, (GER) TEAM SUNWEB, at 01:21
• 106. Mathew Hayman, (AUS) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 01:21
• 107. Lachlan Morton, (AUS) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 01:33
• 108. Jay Robert Thomson, (RSA) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 01:40
• 109. Michael Hepburn, (AUS) MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 02:08
• 110. Adam De Vos, (CAN) RALLY CYCLING, at 02:26
• 111. Jonathan Clarke, (AUS) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM, at 02:34
• 112. Sven Erik BystrØm, (NOR) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at :00