SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Someone finally had the legs to beat Peter Sagan at the Tour of California.
Alexander Kristoff followed an impressive ride by his Katusha teammates, then outsprinted Sagan — the winningest cyclist in race history — to win Stage 7 on Saturday.
Julian Alaphilippe held onto his overall lead heading into the final stage on Sunday.
In the third stage of the women’s race, reigning Olympic champion Marianne Vos outsprinted Coryn Rivera and Emma Johansson to capture their 69-mile stage through Sonoma County wine country.
The penultimate stage of this year’s race shaped up to be a test for the sprinters, especially those who could navigate a few moderate climbs midway through the stage. And with Kristoff and Sagan fitting that profile perfectly, it only made sense that they would be there at the end.
Sagan stuck to Kristoff’s rear wheel beginning with a mile to go, then tried to overcome him in the sprint to the finish in Santa Rosa, only to be edged out at the line.
Sagan, already a two-time stage winner this year, was second for his Tinkoff team. Danny Von Poppel of British powerhouse Team Sky finished third.
Alaphilippe covered every attack by contenders to essentially lock up the overall title. The young Frenchman leads Rohan Dennis of Australia by 16 seconds and American veteran Brent Bookwalter by 38 seconds heading into a flat, fast final stage that ends in Sacramento.
With no climbs on the 86-mile route Sunday, the stage should set up for another sprint finish.
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Amgen Tour of California winner Julian Alaphilippe (yellow jersey) celebrates on the podium with runner-up Rohan Dennis, left, and third-placer Brent Bookwalter on May 22 in Sacramento.
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Julian Alaphilippe, left, is congratulated by Etixx/Quick-Step teammate Tom Boonen after clinching the overall title for the Amgen Tour of California on May 22 in Sacramento.
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Mark Cavendish celebrates after winning the eighth and final stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 22 in Sacramento.
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Amgen Tour of California women’s winner Megan Guarnier is congratulated by men’s competitor Taylor Phinney after the final stage Sunday.
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Peter Sagan of Slovokia rides past a vineyard near Santa Rosa during the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21.
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Cattle cross the road in front of a group of riders in open range during the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21.
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Julian Alaphilippe of France retained the overall lead in the Amgen Tour of California on May 21 during the seventh stage.
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Norway’s Alexander Kristoff, right, overtakes of Peter Sagan of Slovakia in the final sprint of the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21 in Santa Rosa.
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Alexander Kristoff reacts after winning the seventh stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 21 in Santa Rosa.
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American Brent Bookwalter starts the individual time trial during the sixth stagte of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20 in Folsom.
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Britain’s Bradley Wiggins competes alongside a motorcyle with a cameraman during the sixth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20.
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Julian Alaphilippe of France takes part in the individual time trial during the sixth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20.
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Rohan Dennis of Australia won the individual time trail during the sixth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20 in Folsom.
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Riders in the peleton cycle along Caples Lake during the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 19.
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France’s Julian Alaphilippe, the overall race leader, crosses the finish line during the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 19.
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Cyclists climb along Carson Pass Highway during the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 19, as racers made their way from Lodi to South Lake Tahoe.
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Toms Skujins of Latvia celebrates after winning the fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California, a race from Lodi to South Lake Tahoe, on May 19.
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Riders in the peloton makes their way up a hill along Route 1 during the fourth stage of the Tour of California on May 18.
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Riders in the Tour of California’s fourth stage cross the Bixby Bridge on their way from Morro Bay to Monterey on May 18.
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Riders in the peleton make their way along the coast during the fourth stage of the Tour of California on May 18.
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Riders in the peleton pass through San Simeon on the ride from Morro Bay to Monterey during fourth stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 18.
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Peter Sagan of Slovakia is kissed by the podium girls after being awarded the green jersey for the points leader following the third stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 17.
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Britain’s Peter Kennaugh, left, and France’s Bryan Coquard were involved in a crash during the third stage of the Tour of California on May 17.
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The peloton makes the climb along Casitas Pass Road during stage three of the Amgen Tour of California on May 17.
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A fan with a Union Jack runs on the road as Britain’s Andrew Tennant leads a breakaway along Westlake Boulevard in Thousand Oaks during the third stage of the Tour of California on May 17.
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Ben King raises his hand in the air after edging out Evan Huffman to win stage 2 of the Tour of California in Santa Clarita on May 16.
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Peter Sagan (yellow jersey) rides in the peloton not far from a fan running down the road during the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 16.
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Racers start the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California in South Pasadena on May 16.
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Fans in South Pasadena cheer as racers start the 92-mile second stage of the Amgen Tour of California on May 16.
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Racers start the stage 2 ride of the Amgen Tour of California, from the first-time host city of South Pasadena to the veteran host city of Santa Clarita, on May 16.
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A fan takes photos as racers start the stage 2 ride of the Amgen Tour of California, from South Pasadena to Santa Clarita, on May 16.
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Reigning race champion Peter Sagan, center in yellow jersey, waves to fans as racers prepare to start the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California in South Pasadena on May 16.
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Racers are poised to start the second stage of the Amgen Tour of California in South Pasadena on May 16.
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Ben King celebrates after winning stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California in Santa Clarita on May 16.
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Ben King, Amgen Tour of California stage 2 winner, stands between second-place finisher Evan Huffman, left, and third-place finisher Alexander Kristoff during the podium presentation in Santa Clarita on May 16.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The women’s race Saturday likewise turned into a fast finish, but only after Mara Abbott did her best to animate the proceedings with a series of daring attacks on the mid-stage climbs.
Ultimately, it came down to Vos — just back from an illness — showing some veteran poise against the younger Rivera to power up the middle of the road and over the line for the stage win.
Megan Guarnier finished in the main group but picked up 3 seconds in mid-stage time bonuses to extend her lead to 15 seconds over fellow American rider Kristin Armstrong. Guarnier’s teammate on Boels-Dolmans, Evelyn Stevens, was 25 seconds back in third place.
The final stage for the women Sunday is a 20-lap circuit of Capitol Park in downtown Sacramento.
