Jan Bárta leads an escape group of eight on the Champs-Élysées during the final stage of the 2016 Tour de France. Bárta finished on the cusps of the Point d’Appui.
An abandon of the race by Tony Martin on the Champs-Élysées put the 2016 Tour de France back in les Cuspides for the finish, meaning that no Point d’Appui could be awarded this year.
On the cusps of the fulcrum were Arnold Jeannesson in 87th place and Jan Bárta in 88th place. Bárta held the Point d’Appui at the end of three stages and might rightly be considered the most deserving of the honor.
Jeannesson, a Cofidis rider, fell back during the last week to arrive a place ahead of Bárta, who rides for Bora-Argon 18.
Martin abandoned due to knee problems after getting to Paris, but with eyes toward healing in time to ride in the Olympics. His abandon probably affected the lead out, or lack thereof, for sprinter Marcel Kittel, who seemed absent in the final bunch sprint of the tour.
The entire in peloton stayed in the race through Stage 7, the first time that has happened, and it proved to be highest number of riders to finish the entire tour. It was also the longest run in the Tour de France before a fulcrum occurred, at least in modern history. Only seven riders held the Point d’Appui during the course of the race, a lower number than usual because of the repeated middle finishes by Peter Sagan and Bárta.
The stage-by-stage general classification:
- Stage 1 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 2 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 3 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 4 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 5 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 6 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 7 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 8 – Pierre-Luc Périchon of Fortuneo-Vital Concept.
- Stage 9 – Peter Sagan of Tinkoff Team.
- Stage 10 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 11 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 12 – No fulcrum.
- Stage 13 – Arthur Vichot of FDJ.
- Stage 14 – Kristijan Đurasek of Lampre-Merida.
- Stage 15 – Tony Gallopin of Lotto Soudal.
- Stage 16 – Jan Bárta of Bora-Argon 18.
- Stage 17 – Peter Sagan of Tinkoff Team.
- Stage 18 – Jan Bárta of Bora-Argon 18.
- Stage 19 – Anthony Delaplace of Fortuneo-Vital Concept.
- Stage 20 – Jan Bárta of Bora-Argon 18.
- Stage 21 – No fulcrum.
Chris Froome, of course, won the Maillot Jaune, with Romain Bardet and Nairo Quintana in second and third, respectively. The Lanterne Rouge was Sam Bennett, who finished last overall but among the top ten riders at the end of the stage. Great to see he has mended after the early crash that set him low in the overall standings.
Point d'Appui 