Tour de France – Stage 18

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Vincenzo Nibali wins fourth stage and has all but won the 2014 Tour de France as the race leaves the mountains behind

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Tour de France – Stage 18

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Vincenzo Nibali proved once and for all that he is the absolute strongest rider of the 2014 Tour de France. He crowned his domination by winning solo at Hautacam while second placed Thibaut Pinot was the other beneficiary of the last Pyrenean stage. Third placed Rafal Majka is pretty much assured of the King of the Mountains title.

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Picture: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

The Day’s Break
The first attacker of the day, Perrig Quémeneur (Europcar), was reined in after five kilometres of racing. Daniel Oss (BMC) and Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp) took over from him at the front and were were reinforced at km 13 to form a front group of 20 riders:

Mikel Nieve (Sky), Jesus Herrada and Jon Izaguirre (Movistar), Yuriy Trofimov (Katusha), Alessandro De Marchi and Marco Marcato (Cannondale), Lars Boom (Belkin), Jan Bakelants (OPQS), Blel Kadri (AG2R), Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ), Daniel Oss (BMC), Bryan Coquard, Kévin Reza and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Julien Simon (Cofidis), Sylvain Chavanel and Marcel Wyss (IAM), Bartosz Huzarski and Tiago Machado (NetApp) and Florian Guillou (Bretagne).

They reached a maximum advantage of 4.12 after 35km of racing. The Astana team of race leader Vincenzo Nibali kept a high pace at the head of the peloton so the break’s lead did not get out of hand.

The 20 escapees started climbing to the iconic Col du Tourmalet with an advantage of 3.50 and on this climb, Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel rode away solo 10km before the summit. One kilometre further, he was passed by Kadri and Nieve and this leading duo kept an advantage of 4.25 over the yellow jersey group at the top where Kadri won the Souvenir Jacques-Goddet in memory of the longest serving Tour de France director.

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Picture: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

In the GC battle, Alejandro Valverde attacked at the beginning of the downhill whilst ahead, his team-mates Izaguire and Herrada who were part of the breakaway, awaited for him. The wind was not kind though and the Spaniard faced a head wind in the valley and was caught by Nibabli et al with 29km to go.

With 12.2km to go, Nieve rode Kadri off his wheel but Michele Scarponi led the yellow jersey group strongly, only 1.15 behind. Chris Horner was the first man to attack from the peloton of the GC contenders with 10km to go but Nibali was quick to jump on his wheel. The race leader though was to strong for the Tour of Spain winner in 2013 and continued on his own.

He overtook Nieve with 8km to go whilst behind, with 7km to go, Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) was next to pass the Spaniard from Team Sky who was awarded the most aggressive rider prize of the day.

Nibali continued his one man show all the way to Hautacam while Thibaut Pinot’s attack with 6km to go was decisive in his fight against Valverde for the final podium and Bardet for the best young rider classification. Van Garderen and Péraud were the only riders able to follow the FDJ.fr climber.

Pinot claimed a valuable second place and moved into second overall as he dethroned Valverde who slipped to fourth ahead of the crucial closing time trial while Majka secured the polka dot jersey.

REACTIONS

Vincenzo Nibali: “It’s fantastic to have won four stages. I didn’t believe I’d do that. There aren’t many stages till the finish now and my lead is consolidated. I’m pretty calm. I’ve wanted to leave a footprint in the Pyrenees. Even after yesterday’s stage, I felt good. That’s why we have kept the breakaway close to us”.

“More than that, I wanted to show that I’m the strongest, I wanted the stage win. I had Hautacam in my memory since last time we rode it at the Tour de France [in 2008]. I rode it like an uphill time trial. Maybe I’ve attacked very early but Chris Horner accelerated. I was afraid of letting the stage win go and I reacted because of a direct rivalry with Horner”.

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Photo: PelotonPhotos.com

“I owed the stage win to my guys after the work they had done since the start of the stage. I didn’t hear the gaps very well because there was some noise from the radio. I didn’t understand how far ahead Nieve was. He’s a great rider. I was afraid he’d be impossible to catch”.

“I’m having fun at the Tour de France this year. Two years ago, it was different. The course suited Bradley Wiggins’ characteristics with two long time trials where I made most of his advantage and in the mountains, he benefited from a team’s domination. The Tour has been harder this year. Many stages have been demanding, since stage 2 that was very nervous.”

“It was very different and more complicated to read the race than two years ago. I’m talking about two years ago because I didn’t ride the Tour last year, so I can’t say. I’ve been able to keep the jersey almost all the way since Sheffield thanks to the support of my team. We’ve handled the race very well so far with letting breakaway go and adjusting the lead”.

“It’s not the first time that I took the leader’s jersey so early in a Grand Tour. For instance I’ve done it at the Vuelta last year and I lost it in the last week because of many attacks coming from different riders like Rodriguez and Valverde. I’ve learnt from that. I’ve handled the tensions in the race and the way the race unfolded in a much better way.”

“It’s normal to control the race when we lead the overall classification. I’ve done what I had to do with the experience I had from winning the Giro and the Vuelta, from making the podium at the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta, from riding aggressively in the classics even when I wasn’t in a great shape. I came to the Tour with a good preparation and a good team”.

“But I’m not a boss like Lance Armstrong was. Let’s leave the past behind us. I’m very clear about myself. If I have seven minutes lead, it’s not because of a great performance one day. It’s because of seconds I’ve collected here and there while my adversaries have sometimes gained something and paid the following day for their efforts”.

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Photo: PelotonPhotos.com

“I had to deal with the pressure and understand the race. Mentally it’s been a very hard race and some riders have paid for that. My lead is so big because I succeeded in my first goal to gain time on the cobblestones. It was certainly not easy to get 2.30 there! Had Chris Froome not had any problem on the pavés, it would have been a difficult day for him”.

“Something else to take into consideration is that I’ve centered all my season on the Tour de France while others have wanted to ride flat out at all the races they took part in like Froome and Contador at the Dauphiné… My main goal has always been the Tour de France. Also at the Giro last year, I had a considerable lead, about five minutes I think, but I don’t remember well [4.43 over Rigoberto Uran]”.

“My first nickname as a cyclist was «the flea of the Pyrenees» and now I’m finally winning in the Pyrenees. It was given to me by a friend of my father when I was a kid, I wasn’t big and I dropped other cyclists on the climbs, but very quickly after that «the shark of the strait» has made everyone forget my first nickname. The «flea of the Pyrenees» was [Vincente] Trueba.”

Alejandro Valverde: “Alejandro Valverde struggled on the last climb to Hautacam and was ousted from the podium by French pair Thibaut Pinot and Jean-Chrsitophe Peraud. But the Spaniard believes he can claim back his second place.

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Picture: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

“I must now see whether I recover or not. I was at my limits today for sure but like everybody else we’re going to do what we can with the strengths we have left and go ahead. I’m really, really tired but for the time trial, everything depends on the form of the day. If I have good legs, I can take the second place back. It’s not a dramatic day today. Today, I just had to suffer, hang in there, that’s what I did to finish with as much dignity as possible.”

Thibaut Pinot: “For sure, I’m tired. But I’ve done a good job. When I saw Valverde attacking downhill, I took it as a sign of weakness. Once Nibali attacked, we knew it was no point panicking and trying to follow him, otherwise the risk was too big to put ourselves in the red. Later, I’ve wanted to gain time over Valverde and Péraud. I’ve managed to do it over Valverde but a bit less over Péraud. For the white jersey, my lead over Bardet is a bit bigger too”.

“The time trial will be decisive. It’s nice to be second on Thursday or Friday evening, but what counts really is Sunday evening. I don’t want to waste what’s been done since the start. I don’t want to finish off the podium. But between second and fourth, there are only fifteen seconds! And I’m the less good time trialist of the three of us. I’ll have to have a big day. I’ve recently improved in time trialing so we’ll see.”

Peter Sagan: “I went pretty well uphill today. The Astana team pulled quite hard so on the Tourmalet I looked for a small group to climb at a decent speed. On the final climb, on the other hand, I rode slowly. Starting tomorrow, I have two stages left to ride as a sprinter. I don’t have the stage win I want yet. I hope for the best. Up to now, there have been other stages adapted to my characteristics and yet I didn’t win. I realize that every year, the race is different at the Tour de France. Some things go well, others don’t.”

Rafal Majka: “I was feeling tired after the long breakaway yesterday and I attacked early because I wasn’t feeling good. It was too early. But I’m still third at the finishing line! I waited for Pinot and two other riders [Van Garderen and Péraud]. I attacked too early and I waited too much but I’m really happy with two stage wins, twice in the top three in the mountains and the polka jersey. Now the jersey is mine. This is a big surprise for my first Tour de France. Maybe I’ll win the Tour de France in the future.”

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Photo: PelotonPhotos.com

Tejay Van Garderen: Fifth at Hautacam and still 6th overall, 11:34 behind Vincenzo Nibali, Tejay Van Garderen said he did his very best but was not able to drop Thibaut Pinot on the last climb. “It went well today,” van Garderen said. “I just had it in my mind that ‘this is the last mountain before the end of the Tour, so if you’re going to do something you have to do it today.'”

“When I was setting a hard tempo, I would look back and Pinot always looked pretty easy on my wheel,” he said. “He has shown many times this tour that he is more explosive than me. So I couldn’t really get a gap and couldn’t really grind him off my wheel with a tempo because he is so strong.”

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Picture: PhotoSport International. uk usa asia.

Classifications

Yellow: Vincenzo Nibali
KoM: Rafal Majka
Green: Peter Sagan
Young Rider: Thibaut Pinot
Team: AG2R

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

OVERALL
1 Nibali Vincenzo Astana Pro Team 80h 45′ 45″
2 Pinot Thibaut Fdj.Fr @ 07′ 10″
3 Péraud Jean-Christophe Ag2r La Mondiale @ 07′ 23″
4 Valverde Belmonte Alejandro Movistar Team @ 07′ 25″
5 Bardet Romain Ag2r La Mondiale @ 09′ 27″
6 Van Garderen Tejay Bmc Racing Team @ 11′ 34″
7 Mollema Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling @ 13′ 56″
8 Ten Dam Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling @ 14′ 15″
9 Konig Leopold Team Netapp-Endura @ 14′ 37″
10 Zubeldia Agirre Haimar Trek Factory Racing @ 16′ 25″
11 Rolland Pierre Team Europcar @ 17′ 48″
12 Schleck Frank Trek Factory Racing @ 21′ 33″
13 Van Den Broeck Jurgen Lotto-Belisol @ 29′ 58″
14 Trofimov Yury Team Katusha @ 32′ 30″
15 Kruijswijk Steven Belkin Pro Cycling @ 34′ 30″
16 Feillu Brice Bretagne – Seche Environnement @ 37′ 37″
17 Horner Christopher Lampre – Merida @ 39′ 28″
18 Nieve Iturralde Mikel Team Sky @ 41′ 34″
19 Gadret John Movistar Team @ 41′ 41″
20 Porte Richie Team Sky @ 50′ 01″
21 Kangert Tanel Astana Pro Team @ 50′ 34″
22 Gastauer Ben Ag2r La Mondiale @ 52′ 40″
23 Thomas Geraint Team Sky @ 56′ 26″
24 Gautier Cyril Team Europcar @ 57′ 15″
25 Bakelants Jan Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 01h 01′ 06

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