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Tour Stage 14 Report: After a crazy start to stage 14, where Tadej Pogačar was in the early break, the actual ‘break of the day’ took a big lead over the GC peloton. Michael Matthews split the break and then launched an attack on the final climb. Alberto Bettiol managed to hold the Australian until he put in his winning move. Thibaut Pinot was third. The battle for yellow went to Pogačar, but Jonas Vingegaard finished on his wheel.
The last kilometre of stage 14
A hard fought for stage win for Michael Matthews
Michael Matthews won the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France. The Australian was the first over the line in Mende after more than 192 kilometres. The BikeExchange-Jayco rider jumped with a sizeable escape group in the opening part of the stage and fought a duel with Alberto Bettiol on the final climb. Among the GC men, Tadej Pogačar tried to get rid of Jonas Vingegaard, but the Slovenian didn’t succeed.
A hot day ahead
Tour boss, Christian Prudhomme: “The route never climbs very high, but the physical demands on the riders will be almost unceasing as they race from Saint-Étienne to Mende. This trek through the departments of Loire, Haute-Loire and Lozère will push the most robust riders into action. Then, on the Jalabert Montée de la Croix Neuve leading up to the airfield above Mende, there’s likely to be two battles: the first between the breakaway riders and the second for the overall favourites.”
Stage 14 route
Saturday’s stage of the Tour de France was not a big mountain stage, but the fourteenth stage was far from easy. It went up and down all day. In total, there were five categorised climbs: the Côte de Saint-Just-Malmont, the Côte de Châtaignier, the Côte de Grandrieu, the Côte de la Fage and the Côte de la Croix Neuve-Montée Jalabert, the well-known climb to Mende. The final decision would come on that last climb.
Not much chance of any of the jerseys changing
EF Education-EasyPost wanted to be in the early break as there was chaos behind
Those who thought they could take it easy until that final climb were disappointed. Before the first hill we saw a lot of riders trying to escape. And on the Côte de Saint-Just-Malmont it really turned into a race when Tadej Pogačar – behind a leading group of eighteen – jumped away from the peloton. Thanks to Wout van Aert, the yellow jersey was able to rectify the situation. Later Sepp Kuss also came to the rescue.
‘Vive le Tour!’
Bahrain Victorious also wanted to be part of the day’s break
Due to the fast pace, there were casualties. At the front, the original escapees were captured, while at the back many riders lost their hold on to the peloton. Among them there were some big names, including Primoz Roglič. The Slovenian eventually returned. Not so for Caleb Ewan, the first and biggest victim of the action at the front. The Australian sprinter was on his own behind the group and started a long day, supported by some of his Lotto Soudal teammates. Frederic Frison, Tim Wellens and Reinardt Janse van Rensburgh were waiting for him.
Yes, it was hot!
After the peloton got back together after the early split, things were fast but calm
Out of the peloton, due to the chaos, Christopher Juul Jensen and Neilson Powless escaped first. They were unsuccessful, but Powless was there, when the final leading group was formed soon after. 23 riders joined forces: Powless, Bauke Mollema, Andreas Kron, Jakob Fuglsang, Benoît Cosnefroy, Thibaut Pinot, Franck Bonnamour, Quinn Simmons, Michael Matthews, Krists Neilands, Felix Großschartner, Gregor Mühlberger, Patrick Konrad, Marc Soler, Michael Woods, Alberto Bettiol, Daniel Felipe Martínez, Rigoberto Urán, Stefan Küng, Simon Geschke, Lennard Kämna, Luis León Sánchez and Louis Meintjes. The South African was best placed GC rider in 13th place, just under 16 minutes behind Vingegaard.
The break had 10 minutes which went up to over 14 at one point
Louis Meintjes in the break again, best on overall at 15 minutes
Although the co-operation was not always good, Fuglsang tried to split the group, the lead of the break quickly increased. At 100 kilometres from the finish they had a lead of almost 10 minutes. Behind; the peloton was led by the Jumbo-Visma men.
Jumbo-Visma in control of the peloton
The fans were out in the villages on a hot Saturday afternoon
For a long time nothing happened in the big leading group, but at the top of the Côte de Châtaignier there was some action. After KOM leader, Geschke, took the full points at the summit, Simmons continued the move on a false flat. The American, who had previously snatched a KOM point from Geschke, did not get away. There was some unrest in the group. Michael Matthews tried to take advantage of this chaotic situation: he attacked solo.
INEOS had Daniel Martinez in the break
A day for the French? Probably not
Several riders tried to cross. In the end, Sánchez, Großschartner and Kron managed to get to Matthews. Although Kron suffered a puncture with 25 kilometres to go. The unfortunate Dane couldn’t get back to the leader, but was able to join the chasing group which consisted of about ten riders. They were 30 seconds behind the three leaders at the start of the Côte de la Croix Neuve-Montée Jalabert.
The Tour is still as popular as ever
Matthews attacked the big break
Meintjes was also in that group and would move up in the overall standings. At one point, the difference between the first group and the peloton was more than 14 minutes. Jumbo-Visma started to feel the threat and picked up the pace. First Roglič set the pace, later Van Aert took over which brought the difference down again.
Matthews had Kron, Sanchez and Großschartner for company, but Kron punctured
Matthews wanted the stage win, big time
Once on the Côte de la Croix Neuve-Montée Jalabert, the leading group of three fell apart under the pressure of Matthews, who left his two companions behind. For a moment he looked to be on his way to victory, until Bettiol came flying up from the group behind. The Italian got across to Matthews and then after a short rest, dropped the Australian. Matthews wasn’t going to give up and held Bettiol at a few metres. When the summit was in sight, Matthews attacked and didn’t look back until he was crossing the line. Bettiol was unable to recover from the blistering move from the fast Australian and Matthews could celebrate his fourth Tour de France stage victory well before the finish.
Matthews went solo on the final climb, but Bettiol had other ideas
Bettiol came from behind to catch Matthews and attack him, but it wasn’t enough
Pogacar attacked from the start of the final climb. Only Vingegaard could follow him as Adam Yates, Geraint Thomas and the other GC riders had to let them go. Pogačar tried again before the summit but the top two men finished together at 12:23 after Matthews. There was no big changes overall, apart from Meintjes who moved up to 7th at 4:24 from Vingegaard who still leads Pogačar by 2:22. Geraint Thomas is now at 2:43, Romain Bardet in 4th at 3:03 and Adam Yates at 4:06.
An magnificent effort from Michael Matthews
Stage winner, Michael Matthews (BikeExchange-Jayco): “This victory is pretty much the story of my career, with so many roller coasters, ups and downs… My wife and my four year old daughter kept believing in me. Many times I got smashed down but I always got back up. I wanted show my daughter what I do. With my wife, they make my dream come true. Yesterday was a big opportunity missed in a stage that was really good for me. The team rode too late to bring Dylan [Groenewegen] back for the sprint. We had a block from yesterday to tomorrow, it was the aim of the team to win at least one of those three stages. After I’ve finished second twice, I was running out of chances in this Tour de France. But I’ve showed everyone that I can ride like I did today.”
More than happy!
Overall leader, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma): “I expected Tadej [Pogačar] to attack but I managed to follow him and I was happy that I could. Maybe I was too far behind when he attacked in the first climb so it took a bit of time to come across but I wouldn’t say that he surprised me and it didn’t cost me any extra energy to follow him. I know he’ll attack me again, and anywhere, maybe even during the rest day. My job is to remain focus and not let me being caught by surprise. It was a great climb to finish with and I had another great day in the yellow jersey.”
Pogačar couldn’t get rid of Vingegaard
# All the Tour news in EUROTRASH and the ‘Rest Day Round Up’ on Monday. #
Tour de France Stage 14 Result:
1. Michael Matthews (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco in 4:30:53
2. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education-EasyPost at 0:15
3. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 0:34
4. Marc Soler (Spa) UAE Team Emirates at 0:50
5. Patrick Konrad (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe 0:58
6. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Israel-Premier Tech
7. Felix Großschartner (Aus) BORA-hansgrohe at 1:06
8. Lennard Kämna (Ger) BORA-hansgrohe at 1:12
9. Simon Geschke (Ger) Cofidis
10. Louis Meintjes (SA) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux.
Tour de France Overall After Stage 14:
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma in 55:31:01
2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates at 2:22
3. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 2:43
4. Romain Bardet (Fra) DSM at 3:03
5. Adam Yates (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 4:06
6. Nairo Quintana (Col) Arkéa Samsic at 4:15
7. Louis Meintjes (SA) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux at 4:24
8. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
9. Thomas Pidcock (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 8:49
10. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar at 10:00.
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