Nils Politt celebrated the first German victory at the 108th Tour de France.
The Cologne-based team Bora-hansgrohe won the twelfth stage over 159.4 kilometers to Nimes on Thursday as a soloist and recorded the greatest success of his career.
Behind the 27-year-old, the Spaniard Imanol Erviti and the Australian Harry Sweeny sprinted into second and third place.
The favorites for the overall victory reached the finish line a long way behind.
A group of 13 drivers, which included Politt and André Greipel, set out shortly after the start in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateuax.
Since Mark Cavendish's teammate Julian Alaphilippe was also represented there, the Briton's team had no interest in the pursuit.
As a result, there was no mass sprint, and Cavendish was unable to set the Belgian Eddy Merckx's record of 34 stage wins.
On Friday, the 36-year-old has the next chance on the flat stage to Carcassonne.
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