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2014 Tour de France: Majka makes his mark on Stage 14’s final day in the Alps

July 19, 2014
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Young Pole Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo), riding in his first Tour de France, took the biggest win of his career as he soloed to victory in Saturday’s mountain stage. It was another day for Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) to put time into all his rivals, as the race leader finished runner-up to Majka.

The profile described three big mountains with a gradual ascent to the first, the long (34 km) but mild (average 3.9%) Cat. 1 Col du Lauteret. Seventeen riders shook loose, with several of them, including Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha), interested in King of the Mountain points. El Purito wore the polka dot jersey on the stage, but was keeping it warm for Nibali.

The escape had a five minute gap over the Astana-driven peloton when Rodriguez crested the Lauteret first. By the foot of the highest point of the 2014 Tour, the HC Col d’Izoard, the gap was down to 2:37. Once more, it was El Purito taking the maximum KOM points and the lead outright, not to mention the 5000 Euro Souvenir Henri Desgrange.

The first major action in the favourites group came on the Izoard downhill as Ag2r worked hard to distance fourth Thibault Pinot (France/FDJ) and several other top ten men on the descent. However, on the flat between the Izoard and the day’s final climb of the Risoul the GC men came together.

The gap from the escape to the yellow jersey group was 1:04 at the foot of the 12.6 km, 6.9% Montée de Risoul. Alessandro Di Marchi (Italy/Cannondale) attacked his breakmates while Ag2r continued to whip along the favourites group to set something up for their man, 3rd place Romain Bardet, the top Frenchman.

De Marchi was joined momentarily by Jose Serpa (Colombia/Lampre) and his fine mustache, but it was Majka who surged ahead of both of them. Rodriguez then joined De Marchi in pursuit of the Pole. Majka continued to pull out a gap.

It was Nibali’s attack at the 4 km to go banner that brought Rodriguez and De Marchi back into the fold. Only Jean-Christophe Peraud (France/Ag2r) was able to go with the Shark of Messina. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) launched a counterattack that thinned out his chase group even further. Majka had 36 seconds with 2 km remaining.

Second place Valverde paid for his attack, as Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC), Pinot, Bardet and Frank Schleck (Luxembourg/Trek) put the Spaniard behind them to become the second chase. There would be no denying Majka, as he finished 24 seconds faster than Nibali and also tied Rodriguez on KOM points. Rodriguez officially wears the polka dot jersey on Sunday.

Pinot and Bardet scrapped for fourth place, with Pinot nipping his rival for the white jersey and top Frenchman title. Valverde kept his second place by 13 seconds. In fact, the top five is unchanged, but there are now five Frenchmen in the GC top 10.

Sunday is a blessedly flat 222 km stage from Tallard to Nimes before Monday’s final rest day.

2014 Tour de France Stage 14
1) Rafal Majka (Poland/Tinkoff-Saxo) 5:08:27
2) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) +0:24
3) Jean-Christophe Peraud (France/Ag2r) +0:26

2014 Tour de France GC
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) 61:52:54
2) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +4:37
3) Romain Bardet (France/Ag2r) +4:50

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