Tour de France – Stage 14

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Tickoff-Saxo bounce back with a victory on stage 14 for Tour de France rookie Rafal Majka after a promising ride the day before

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Tour de France – Stage 14

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Second on stage 13 in Chamrousse, Tour de France rookie Rafal Majka went on the attack again and stayed away after a long lasting escape to claim his first stage victory in Risoul while Vincenzo Nibali comfortably retained the yellow jersey.

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Photo: ASO/B.Bade

Richie Porte lost more time whilst Valverde to dropped back a little as well – Simon Yates meanwhile was 21st after being in the break.

Quest for the Polka Dot jersey
Joaquim Rodriguez made his intentions clear from the gun. He rode flat out until a breakaway was formed but it happened to be a serious split in the bunch with approximately forty riders going clear, including race leader Vincenzo Nibali and runner up Alejandro Valverde but not the French duelists Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot.

Eventually, the first part of the peloton also split and a group of 17 leaders was formed at km 16 with Mikel Nieve and Geraint Thomas (Sky), Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Rafal Majka and Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff), Peter Sagan and Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale), Steven Kruijswijk (Belkin), Christophe Riblon (AG2R), Albert Timmer (Giant), José Serpa (Lampre), Amaël Moinard (BMC), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Nicolas Edet and Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis) and Simon Yates (Orica).

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Photo: ASO/B.Bade

The maximum time gap was reached at km 79: 5.05. There wasn’t any attack up to the col de Lautaret where Rodriguez scored ten points in his quest for the polka dot jersey. He added another 25 points at the iconic Col d’Izoard and collected the 5000 euros prime of the Souvenir Henri-Desgrange awarded at the highest summit of the Tour de France in memory of the founder of the Tour de France.

With 75km to go, NetApp-Endura looked worried about the presence of Thomas and Nieve at the front as the two Sky riders potentially threatened Leo König’s top ten position on GC. They chased hard as they took over from Astana at the head of the peloton. Therefore, the yellow jersey group was only 1.30 behind the remaining 11 leaders before the last climb of the day.

AG2R-La Mondiale put the hammer down to reduce the gap to one minute at the bottom of the final ascent to Risoul. De Marchi rode away from the front group at the beginning of the climb. He was eventually overtaken by Rafal Majka who went solo with 9km to go. Nibali then accelerated with 4km to go with Peraud following him.

They crossed the line in that order behind Majka who found glory at the Tour at the age of 24 after having finished 6th overall at the Giro d’Italia. Young riders did well as French duelists Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet regained 34 seconds in the last three kilometres over Alejandro Valverde who remains in second place overall for now at the exit of the Alps.

REACTIONS
Rafal Majka: “This is my first pro victory. I was always coming second, third, etc. I needed to win a big stage at the Tour de France. The assertion that I didn’t want to ride the Tour de France is not a true story. [Team manager] Bjarne Riis and my directeur sportif Fabrizio Guidi told me: ‘You’ll do the Tour but you’ll take it easy in the first week.’

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Photo: ASO/B.Bade

The plan was to help Alberto Contador in the mountains but we had bad luck. Since his accident, we try to win a stage. It’s also wrong to think that I’m doing the Tour because Roman Kreuziger isn’t. Had he been able to start, we would have both been part of the team. My team-mates and Bjarne said this morning that, shall I go in the breakaway, I’d win the stage.

I think we had 1.10 lead at the bottom of the last climb. I attacked and dropped Rodriguez and a Cannondale rider [Alessandro De Marchi] off. I tried to do it alone and I fought for winning.”
Vincenzo Nibali: “From the team car, I was told: ‘If you still have something in the tank, go for it’. I was looking at gaining some time over Alejandro Valverde. I heard that he cracked after I left him. Péraud stayed on my wheel and then sprinted! That’s cycling I suppose… In any case, Majka deserves his victory. He’s going well”.

“Yesterday he was in the breakaway and today he claimed a beautiful win. I’m happy for him. But I can’t say I let him. I don’t know if I could have caught him. When I accelerated, he already had a good advantage of around 50 seconds. My goal was to gain time over Valverde.”

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Photo: ASO/X.Bourgois

“Majka’s victory here after he finished 6th in the Giro makes me think that it’s possible to do both Grand Tours. I did them both when I was young but now I’m physically much more mature. My challenge for next year might well be to target Giro and Tour but I yet have to talk to my team. When we finish a season, we restart from scratch. It’s not excluded that I’ll be present at both Giro and Tour next year.”

“I don’t see why my lead at the Tour de France would be less valuable because Alberto Contador and Chris Froome aren’t here anymore. Oleg Tinkoff said Alberto would be in yellow by now without his crash, we all know Tinkoff’s temper. I’ve gained time in important parts of the race like on the roads of Paris-Roubaix”.

“I feel sorry for what happened to the others. Unfortunately, crashes are part of cycling. It also happened yesterday to my team-mate Jakob Fuglsang who crashed pretty heavily. All I know is that I worked very seriously with my coach Paolo Slongo. I came here with good form and the intention to fight till the end. I notice that riders who were ahead of me at the Dauphiné are behind at the Tour. Last year I won the Giro, I came second at the Vuelta and I beat Froome and Contador at almost all the races I did with them.”

Simon Yates: “It was a hard day out, there was a lot of climbing but you have to try,” Yates said. “The opportunity was there and if I had good legs then I might have been up for the win but all credit to Rafal Majka, he is a class act and I think he showed he was the strongest today.”

“I’m quite an ambitious guy and I like to win so I will just keep plugging away and hopefully we will get a win in the next week or so,” Yates said “And next year I can actually look forward to doing a grand tour and not feel so nervous. To have that experience of doing a longer race, not the week-long races that we normally do.

“It’s a great experience all round, really.”

Julian Dean said Yates’ performance was extremely exciting for the future. “It’s always hard to get in the breakaway on any stage of the Tour de France and he has done that twice in the two weeks he has been here,” Dean said.

“Following in the car, you don’t have to do anything. He is cool, he is calm, he’s collected and he really did it all himself. It tells you that he is a complete rider. Physically he is gifted and mentally, as well, he has got it together”.

“We have seen many guys that have got good mental capacity but not the physical and also the reverse of that so he is starting to look like he has the complete package.”

Geraint Thomas: “We wanted to get stuck in today and try and get Nieve in the break. It was a hard start and I managed to make the move with him, but it was just unfortunate we never really got a big advantage.

“NetApp started chasing in the peloton and not many of the other guys really wanted to work with us. They were all thinking about the finish, but you’ve got to get there first with a decent amount of time to actually race it out. That was a bit frustrating at times, but at the top of the Col d’Izoard we rode on the front to try and keep the advantage.

“There was no point being out there if we weren’t going try, and unfortunately it didn’t come off. It was nice to get in the break, though, and be in the race, and we’ve got one more week to go now before Paris.

“I want to recuperate a bit over the next few days and then try and do something again in the Pyrenees. I don’t know if I’ll have the legs because I’m feeling pretty tired right now, but hopefully I can hide in the wheels tomorrow before three more big days in the mountains.”
Richie Porte: “I’ve not been feeling 100% so I’ve gone on antibiotics to try and knock the infection on the head. I’ve been feeling it on my lungs and haven’t been breathing well”.

“It’s really disappointing, especially as this was my first real chance to show what I could do in the Tour. All the guys have been riding so strongly for me but this bug has really taken it out of me, and it’s just one of those things unfortunately. I’m going to take things day by day but I really want to complete the Tour and hopefully I’ll be able to make it to Paris.”

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Photo: ASO/X.Bourgois
Romain Bardet (above): “We’ve remained cautious in the first two weeks but today we’ve felt there was an opportunity for something big. We made the race hard. It hasn’t worked on the way up to the col d’Izoard but later we managed to regain some time. I didn’t attack the downhill thinking of Thibaut Pinot. I fight against all my adversaries. I’m also competing against Valverde, Van Garderen, etc. I didn’t feel that Valverde was going to crack but he suddenly put himself aside. Since the beginning of the Tour, today is the day I’ve enjoyed the most. Last year I was stronger in the third week, I hope it’s going to be the same again.”

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Joaquim Rodriguez: “It’s been a very fast start and I’ve been lucky enough to make the breakaway. Nibali was up there too but he was the danger number 1 for our move. Fortunately he didn’t stay in the front group. It went well for me on the first two climbs. I got the KOM points I wanted but I was tired for the last climb. I still tried to go for the stage win though… But my main goal is to win the polka dot jersey. This would be something unique in my career. I have a big week ahead. I hope for the best in the Pyrenees, close to home.”

Alejandro Valverde: The Movistar rider lost a bit of time on stage 14, conceding a minute to Vincenzo Nibali and some 30 seconds on his other rivals. The Spaniard said he had a mechanical after touching wheels with Thibaut Pinot. “Of course it was hard today but I rode well yesterday and made a difference. That’s the Tour. I didn’t crack. As I said, I had a small problem with Pinot and I could not receive assistance the way I needed and as there was a long stretch on the flat, it was hard. Nibali is the strongest for sure. He’s the strongest but others are very close. Yes, my rivals for the podium are Pinot, Bardet but also Van Garderen.”

Tejay Van Garderen: “We were just trying to attack so we weren’t towing guys along,” van Garderen said. “It looked like Valverde kind of blew himself up a bit and it ended up being me and Pinot kind of trading pulls.” Van Garderen said despite his gradual climb up the overall standings following crashes where he lost time on Stages 5 and 7, he is still not feeling 100 percent. “After the rest day I came down with a little bit of bronchitis,” he said. “And the crashes – I think that kind of took away a little bit of my top end. After the rest day and into the Pyreneses, I should bounce back a bit.”

Classifications
Yellow: Vincenzo Nibali
Green: Peter Sagan
Kom: Joaquim Rodriguez
Young Rider: Romain Bardet
Team: Ag2r

Stage 14
1 Majka Rafal Tinkoff-Saxo 05h 08′ 27″
2 Nibali Vincenzo Astana Pro Team + 00′ 24″
3 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 26″
4 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr + 00′ 50″
5 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale + 00′ 50″
6 Van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team + 00′ 54″
7 Schleck Frank Trek Factory Racing + 01′ 01″
8 Ten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling + 01′ 07″
9 Konig Leopold Team Netapp-Endura + 01′ 20″
10 Valverde Belmonte Alejandro Movistar Team + 01′ 24″
11 Zubeldia Agirre Haimar Trek Factory Racing + 01′ 24″
12 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar + 01′ 24″
13 Izaguirre Insausti Jon Movistar Team + 02′ 18″
14 Rogers Michael Tinkoff-Saxo + 02′ 34″
15 Gadret John Movistar Team + 02′ 37″
16 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling + 02′ 40″
17 Gastauer Ben Ag2r La Mondiale + 02′ 44″
18 Jeannesson Arnold Fdj.Fr + 03′ 09″
19 Trofimov Yury Team Katusha + 03′ 09″
20 Edet Nicolas Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 03′ 20″
21 Yates Simon Orica Greenedge + 03′ 25″
22 Kruijswijk Steven Belkin Pro Cycling + 03′ 31″
23 Feillu Brice Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 03′ 57″
24 Costa Rui Alberto Lampre – Merida + 04′ 46″
25 Gallopin Tony Lotto-Belisol + 04′ 59″
26 Van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol + 04′ 59″
27 Porte Richie Team Sky + 05′ 16″
28 Wyss Marcel Iam Cycling + 06′ 17″
29 Thomas Geraint Team Sky + 06′ 37″
30 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Team Sky + 06′ 37″
31 Rodriguez Joaquim Team Katusha + 06′ 52″
32 De Marchi Alessandro Cannondale + 06′ 55″
33 Serpa José Lampre – Merida + 07′ 08″
34 Scarponi Michele Astana Pro Team + 07′ 08″
35 Mate Mardones Luis Angel Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 07′ 30″
36 King Benjamin Garmin – Sharp + 08′ 55″
37 Gautier Cyril Team Europcar + 09′ 07″
38 Visconti Giovanni Movistar Team + 10′ 13″
39 Velits Peter Bmc Racing Team + 10′ 18″
40 Cherel Mikael Ag2r La Mondiale + 10′ 18″
41 Stetina Peter Bmc Racing Team + 10′ 18″
42 Dumoulin Tom Team Giant-Shimano + 10′ 18″
43 Moinard Amaël Bmc Racing Team + 10′ 18″
44 Herrada Lopez Jesus Movistar Team + 10′ 27″
45 Bakelants Jan Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 10′ 57″
46 Kwiatkowski Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 10′ 57″
47 Pineau Jérôme Iam Cycling + 10′ 57″
48 Schär Michael Bmc Racing Team + 11′ 36″
49 Rojas Gil José Joaquin Movistar Team + 12′ 48″
50 Molard Rudy Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 12′ 59″
51 Kangert Tanel Astana Pro Team + 13′ 18″
52 Taaramäe Rein Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 13′ 18″
53 Chavanel Sylvain Iam Cycling + 13′ 22″
54 Fuglsang Jakob Astana Pro Team + 13′ 34″
55 Horner Christopher Lampre – Merida + 13′ 39″
56 Elmiger Martin Iam Cycling + 13′ 47″
57 Hollenstein Reto Iam Cycling + 13′ 47″
58 Voss Paul Team Netapp-Endura + 13′ 47″
59 Martin Tony Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 13′ 47″
60 Plaza Molina Ruben Movistar Team + 13′ 47″
61 Bak Lars Lotto-Belisol + 13′ 47″
62 Erviti Ollo Imanol Movistar Team + 13′ 47″
63 Reza Kévin Team Europcar + 13′ 47″
64 Pichot Alexandre Team Europcar + 13′ 47″
65 Busche Matthew Trek Factory Racing + 14′ 28″
66 Vachon Florian Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 15′ 22″
67 Van Summeren Johan Garmin – Sharp + 15′ 22″
68 Guillou Florian Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 15′ 22″
69 Paulinho Sergio Miguel Moreira Tinkoff-Saxo + 15′ 32″
70 Roche Nicolas Tinkoff-Saxo + 15′ 32″
71 Meier Christian Orica Greenedge + 16′ 11″
72 Kadri Blel Ag2r La Mondiale + 16′ 52″
73 Riblon Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale + 16′ 52″
74 Huzarski Bartosz Team Netapp-Endura + 17′ 30″
75 Voeckler Thomas Team Europcar + 17′ 38″
76 Barta Jan Team Netapp-Endura + 18′ 25″
77 Roy Jérémy Fdj.Fr + 18′ 51″
78 Keukeleire Jens Orica Greenedge + 18′ 51″
79 Sagan Peter Cannondale + 21′ 41″
80 Oss Daniel Bmc Racing Team + 21′ 41″
81 Montaguti Matteo Ag2r La Mondiale + 21′ 41″
82 Golas Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 21′ 41″
83 Tosatto Matteo Tinkoff-Saxo + 21′ 54″
84 De Kort Koen Team Giant-Shimano + 21′ 54″
85 Irizar Arranburu Markel Trek Factory Racing + 21′ 54″
86 Lopez Garcia David Team Sky + 21′ 54″
87 Ladagnous Matthieu Fdj.Fr + 21′ 54″
88 Pimenta Costa Mendes José Team Netapp-Endura + 21′ 54″
89 Hansen Adam Lotto-Belisol + 21′ 54″
90 Van Avermaet Greg Bmc Racing Team + 21′ 54″
91 Smukulis Gatis Team Katusha + 22′ 07″
92 Rast Gregory Trek Factory Racing + 22′ 07″
93 Boom Lars Belkin Pro Cycling + 22′ 40″
94 Tankink Bram Belkin Pro Cycling + 22′ 40″
95 Marcato Marco Cannondale + 25′ 24″
96 Sabatini Fabio Cannondale + 25′ 24″
97 Minard Sébastien Ag2r La Mondiale + 25′ 24″
98 Roelandts Jurgen Lotto-Belisol + 25′ 24″
99 Vanotti Alessandro Astana Pro Team + 25′ 24″
100 Voigt Jens Trek Factory Racing + 25′ 24″
101 Grivko Andriy Astana Pro Team + 25′ 24″
102 Dumoulin Samuel Ag2r La Mondiale + 25′ 24″
103 Clarke Simon Orica Greenedge + 25′ 24″
104 Machado Tiago Team Netapp-Endura + 25′ 24″
105 Gerrans Simon Orica Greenedge + 25′ 24″
106 Delaplace Anthony Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 25′ 24″
107 Durasek Kristijan Lampre – Merida + 25′ 24″
108 Fonseca Armindo Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 25′ 24″
109 Reichenbach Sébastien Iam Cycling + 25′ 24″
110 Curvers Roy Team Giant-Shimano + 25′ 24″
111 Tuft Svein Orica Greenedge + 25′ 24″
112 Spilak Simon Team Katusha + 25′ 24″
113 Westra Lieuwe Astana Pro Team + 25′ 24″
114 Durbridge Luke Orica Greenedge + 25′ 24″
115 Bideau Jean-Marc Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 25′ 24″
116 Albasini Michael Orica Greenedge + 25′ 24″
117 Oliveira Nelson Lampre – Merida + 25′ 24″
118 Pate Danny Team Sky + 25′ 24″
119 Bodnar Maciej Cannondale + 25′ 24″
120 Quemeneur Perrig Team Europcar + 25′ 24″
121 Pineau Cedric Fdj.Fr + 25′ 24″
122 Howes Alex Garmin – Sharp + 25′ 24″
123 Coquard Bryan Team Europcar + 25′ 24″
124 Bauer Jack Garmin – Sharp + 25′ 24″
125 Slagter Tom Jelte Garmin – Sharp + 25′ 24″
126 Gerard Arnaud Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 25′ 24″
127 Simon Julien Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 25′ 24″
128 Morkov Michael Tinkoff-Saxo + 25′ 24″
129 Arashiro Yukiya Team Europcar + 25′ 24″
130 Gruzdev Dmitriy Astana Pro Team + 25′ 24″
131 Leezer Thomas Belkin Pro Cycling + 25′ 24″
132 Iglinskiy Maxim Astana Pro Team + 25′ 24″
133 Timmer Albert Team Giant-Shimano + 25′ 24″
134 Gene Yohann Team Europcar + 25′ 24″
135 Terpstra Niki Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 25′ 33″
136 Kiryienka Vasili Team Sky + 26′ 45″
137 Trentin Matteo Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 27′ 07″
138 Eisel Bernhard Team Sky + 27′ 40″
139 Koren Kristijan Cannondale + 27′ 40″
140 Burghardt Marcus Bmc Racing Team + 27′ 40″
141 Kittel Marcel Team Giant-Shimano + 27′ 40″
142 Greipel André Lotto-Belisol + 27′ 40″
143 Petacchi Alessandro Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 27′ 40″
144 Isaichev Vladimir Team Katusha + 27′ 40″
145 Sieberg Marcel Lotto-Belisol + 27′ 40″
146 Degenkolb John Team Giant-Shimano + 27′ 40″
147 Feillu Romain Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 27′ 40″
148 Veelers Tom Team Giant-Shimano + 27′ 40″
149 Jarrier Benoit Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 27′ 40″
150 Intxausti Benat Movistar Team + 27′ 40″
151 Schillinger Andreas Team Netapp-Endura + 27′ 40″
152 Kristoff Alexander Team Katusha + 27′ 40″
153 Delage Mickaël Fdj.Fr + 27′ 40″
154 Viviani Elia Cannondale + 27′ 40″
155 Bennati Daniele Tinkoff-Saxo + 27′ 40″
156 Haussler Heinrich Iam Cycling + 27′ 40″
157 Renshaw Mark Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 27′ 40″
158 Kluge Roger Iam Cycling + 27′ 40″
159 Dempster Zakkari Team Netapp-Endura + 27′ 40″
160 Ji Cheng Team Giant-Shimano + 27′ 40″
161 Wynants Maarten Belkin Pro Cycling + 27′ 40″
162 Petit Adrien Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 27′ 40″
163 Bonnet William Fdj.Fr + 27′ 40″
164 Demare Arnaud Fdj.Fr + 27′ 40″
165 Cimolai Davide Lampre – Merida + 27′ 40″
166 Marino Jean Marc Cannondale + 27′ 40″
167 Lemoine Cyril Cofidis, Solutions Credits + 27′ 40″
168 Vanmarcke Sep Belkin Pro Cycling + 27′ 40″
169 Paolini Luca Team Katusha + 27′ 40″
170 Navardauskas Ramunas Garmin – Sharp + 27′ 40″
171 Langeveld Sebastian Garmin – Sharp + 27′ 40″

OVERALL
1 Nibali Vincenzo Astana Pro Team 61h 52′ 54”
2 Valverde Belmonte Alejandro Movistar Team + 04′ 37”
3 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale + 04′ 50”
4 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr + 05′ 06”
5 Van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team + 05′ 49”
6 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale + 06′ 08”
7 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling + 08′ 33”
8 Konig Leopold Team Netapp-Endura + 09′ 32”
9 Ten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling + 10′ 01”
10 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar + 10′ 48”
11 Van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol + 11′ 02”
12 Zubeldia Agirre Haimar Trek Factory Racing + 11′ 10”
13 Costa Rui Alberto Lampre – Merida + 12′ 57”
14 Schleck Frank Trek Factory Racing + 14′ 37”
15 Porte Richie Team Sky + 16′ 03”
16 Trofimov Yury Team Katusha + 19′ 12”
17 Kwiatkowski Michal Omega Pharma-Quick Step + 19′ 24”
18 Thomas Geraint Team Sky + 20′ 18”
19 Feillu Brice Bretagne – Seche Environnement + 21′ 00”
20 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Team Sky + 21′ 04”
21 Kruijswijk Steven Belkin Pro Cycling + 22′ 30”
22 Horner Christopher Lampre – Merida + 23′ 59”
23 Gadret John Movistar Team + 32′ 55”
24 Kangert Tanel Astana Pro Team + 39′ 12”
25 Gastauer Ben Ag2r La Mondiale + 41′ 28”

 

 

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