Michael Matthews completed his set of grand tour victories when he prevailed in the 10th stage of the Tour de France at the end of a royal breakaway yesterday.

The Australian, with three Vuelta and two Giro d’Italia stage wins to his name, outsprinted his breakaway companions after 197km from Escaldes-Engordany, Andorra, benefiting from the support of two of his Orica-Bike Exchange team-mates.

World champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), who reclaimed the green jersey for the points classification from Mark Cavendish, took second place and Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) finished third.

Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after finishing safe in the main peloton more than nine minutes off the pace.

With 24km left, Sagan’s brutal acceleration on a small rise split the group and only seven, including two of Matthews’s team-mates, remained in front.

Matthews benefited from compatriot and team-mate Luke Durbridge’s work to keep the chasers at bay and then stayed in Sagan’s wheel as his other team-mate, South African Daryl Impey, led the group in the lead-up to the final sprint.

Matthews then delivered with an impressive burst of speed over the final 200 metres.

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