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Making their debut at the Tour de France, Stephen Cummings claimed a historic victory for MTN – Qhubeka on Stage 14 of the 2015 Tour de France and International Mandela Day.
Beginning in the town of Rodez, the fourteenth stage of the race took the peloton on a 178.5 kilometre-long journey through Languedoc-Roussillon countryside to the town of Mende. Featuring several challenging climbs along the way, four of them categorised, the riders were in for an arduous day in the saddle.
With several different teams interested in getting up the road it wasn’t until the race descended into the Tarn river valley that the composition of the breakaway was decided.
Composed of twenty riders, the breakaway of the day was formed by Andriy Grivko (Astana); Romain Bardet and Jan Bakelants (AG2R); Thibaut Pinot, Matthieu Ladagnous and Jeremy Roy (FDJ), Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo); Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar); Greg Van Avermaet (BMC); Koen de Kort (Giant-Alpecin); Michal Golas and Rigoberto Uran (Etixx-QuickStep); Cyril Gautier (Europcar); Bob Jungels (Trek); Ruban Plaza (Lampre-Merida); Kristijan Koren (Cannondale-Garmin); Jarlinson Pantano (IAM); Pierre-luc Perichon (Bretagne-Seche); Stephen Cummings (MTN-Qhubeka) and Simon Yates (Orica-GreenEDGE).
Gaining an maximum lead of eight minutes and fifteen seconds, the peloton would not see nineteen of the twenty escapees again until the conclusion of the stage. Safe in the knowledge that they would not be caught by the peloton the breakaway set about contesting the stage victory over 26-kilometres from the finishing line, Etixx – Quick-Step’s Michal Golas the first to break ranks.
Cannondale-Garmin’s Kristijan Koren would join the Polish riders with eleven kilometres remaining and the two would co-operate to try and hold off the eighteen chasers behind. Ultimately the duo’s long-range attacks would come to nought as they were caught on the slopes of the Côte de la Croix Neuve.
French climber Romain Bardet of AG2R Le Mondiale would break free of his former breakaway companions for much of the climb after a series of blistering attacks. However, close to the summit of the climb, with just 1500-metres to go, fellow French climber Thibaut Pinot of FDJ would bridge across to Romain Bardet’s rear wheel.
Winching his way up the climb and into third place behind the French duo by the Côte de la Croix Neuve’s summit, Steven Cummings would catch the French duo with just 1400-metres remaining. Shortly afterwards the British rider would decide to attack his rivals just as they turned on to the finishing straight and attempt to time trial his way to victory.
Unable to latch themselves on to Stephen Cummings’ rear wheel and slipstream the French duo were unable to catch the British rider before the line, even after they tried sprinting for the line. An ecstatic MTN – Qhubeka and Stephen Cummings proudly celebrated their first Tour de France stage victory as they crossed the line.
Back within the peloton the battle for the Maillot Jaune resumed anew when the riders reached the climb of the Côte de la Croix Neuve. With Chris Froome left isolated and vulnberable by a fatigued Team Sky first Vincenzo Nibali and then Movistar’s Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde would attack the Maillot Jaune.
Despite the best efforts of his rivals no one could distance Chris Froome, the British rider eventually outsprinting Nairo Quintana to the line to claim an extra second. Behind them Alejandro Valverde would finish four seconds later, Alberto Contador nineteen seconds adrift, Vincenzo Nibali some 30 seconds behind.
Crossing the line 39 seconds later than Nairo Quitana, Tejay Van Garderen ceded second place in the general classification to the Colombian climber after cracking on the steep slopes of the Côte de la Croix Neuve.
2015 Tour de France – Stage 14 Results:
01. Stephen Cummings (MTN-Qhubeka)… 04:23:43″
02. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ)… +0:02″
03. Romain Bardet (AG2R)… +0:03″
04. Rigoberto Uran (Etixx-QuickStep)… +0:20″
05. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo)… +0:29″
06. Cyril Gautier (Europcar)… +0:32″
07. Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida)… ST
08. Bob Jungels (Trek)… ST
09. Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar)… ST
10. Simon Yates (Orica-GreenEDGE)… +0:33″
2015 Tour de France – General Classification after Stage 14:
01. Christopher Froome (Sky)… 56:02:19″
02. Nairo Quintana (Movistar)… +3:10″
03. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC)… +3:32″
04. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)… +4:02″
05. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo)… +4:23″
06. Geraint Thomas (Sky)… +4:54″
07. Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo)… +6:23″
08. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana)… +8:17″
09. Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal)… +8:23″
10. Bauke Mollema (Trek)… +8:53″
Transitioning from the Midi-Pyrénées into Languedoc-Roussillon, the peloton are in for another hard day in the saddle. Join The Roar for live coverage of Stage 14 of the 2015 Tour de France from 10:00pm (AEST).
Once again Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme serves up another excellent canvas for the riders to paint a masterpiece upon. If the peloton thought yesterday’s stage was difficult towards the end then today’s final 41.5-kilometres will seem absolutely torturous.
Beginning in Rodez, host of yesterday’s finish, the 178.5 kilometre-long stage climbs up to the summit of the Col de Vernhette (44km) before starting a 14.5 kilometre-long descent to the Tarn river valley below.
Afterwards the peloton will follow the river valley for 78.5-kilometres before ascending, tackling three challenging categorised climbs in the process, to reach the finishing line in Mende.
While the second category Côte de Sauveterre (9-kilometres at 6 per cent) and fourth category Côte de Chabrits (1.9-kilometres at 5.9 per cent) will blunt the legs of the peloton the decisive moment of the stage comes with just 4.5-kilometres remaining. Similar to yesterday, a short and punchy climb lies close to the finishing line and it should decide the stage’s victor.
A familiar climb to the Tour de France, traffic furniture will complicate the run up to the decisive Côte de la Croix Neuve (3-kilometres at 10.1 per cent) and cause an even fiercer tempo during the crucial battle for position. After reaching the climb’s summit there will be just 1500-metres left to reach the finishing line, just enough distance for a rider to potentially close a small gap to a rival.
Last used as a stage finish on Stage 12 of the 2010 Tour de France, that day the stage honours were taken out by Joaquim Rodriguez in a head-to-head sprint with Alberto Contador. The duo leaving everyone else, including Maillot Jaune and eventual race winner Andy Schleck, for dead on the slopes of the Côte de la Croix Neuve.
Whether we will get to see another exciting showdown on the Côte de la Croix Neuve between the general classification and stage favourites will depend on the willingness of the peloton to chase the inevitable breakaway of the day. With several teams still without a stage victory in the 2015 Tour de France if a significant number of them miss the break we can expect the peloton to give chase.
With a number of stage hunters and former general classification riders, their dreams brutally crushed by Sky Pro Cycling, on the prowl, the fight to get in today’s breakaway will be fierce and unpredictable. Some names to watch out for are Pieter Weening, Adam Yates, Julian Arredondo, Thomas Voeckler, Jan Bakelants, Tim Wellens and Alexis Vuillermoz.
My favourite for the stage is Joaquim Rodriguez of Team Katusha, however, the veteran Spanish climber may find it a challenge to get in the breakaway of the day. If ‘Purito’, as he is affectionately nicknamed, cannot make the breakaway it will be up to Team Katusha to reel in the break if the Catalonian wants to claim a third stage victory at the 2015 Tour de France.
But what do you think? Let us know in the comments and join us from 10:00pm (AEST) for live updates, commentary and a chat as we follow Stage 14 of the 2015 Tour De France.
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