VALENCE, France (AP) – Andre Greipel took his third stage victory of this Tour de France by winning a bunch sprint at the end of Stage 15 on Sunday, while Britain’s Chris Froome remained in control of the overall race lead.
Greipel, the Lotto-Soudal rider from Germany, powered to the line at Valence.
John Degenkolb of the Giant-Alpecin team was second, Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff third and Peter Sagan of Tinkoff-Saxo finished fourth on the 183-kilometer (114-mile) stage from Mende.
Because of its flat finish, the stage represented the last opportunity for sprinters to shine before climbers take back the spotlight in the Alps next week.
Froome goes into that last major obstacle with a comfortable lead and is nearing closer to his second win having first won the Tour in 2013.
The Sky team rider finished safely in the main pack with the other podium favorites on Sunday, and there were no changes in their overall placings.
Froome still leads second-placed Nairo Quintana by 3 minutes and 10 seconds. Tejay van Garderen remains 3:32 back in third.