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2014 Tour de France: Nibali dominant as he triumphs on Hautacam

Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) sent a message to the world Thursday with his fourth stage win of the 2014 Tour de France: it wouldn’t have mattered if Contador and Froome stayed in the race, for The Shark of Messina is dominant. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) was found wanting on the last big climb of the Tour’s 101st edition, the Hautacam, and fell off the podium.

The last day in the mountains featured two Cat. 3 ascents leading to the HC Col du Tourmalet and then the HC Hautacam. A 20-rider breakaway including Thomas Voeckler (France/Europcar) stole away. Teammates of every top-10 rider except Nibali also made the escape.

The fugitives stayed together until the Tourmalet where IAM’s Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel surged away, jolting his breakmates. Mikel Nieve (Spain/Sky) and Frenchman Blel Kadri (Ag2r) caught and dispatched Chavanel and then rolled on together up and over Tourmalet with Kadri summiting first to take the 5000 Euro Souvenir Jacques Goddet.

In the peloton, third place Thibault Pinot (France/FDJ), a notoriously nervous descender, dropped ahead of the rest. Valverde attacked and linked up with teammates from the escape, but the move was stymied.

The gap between the leading duo and the peloton was 1:33 at the foot of the Hautacam. Nieve achieved separation from Kadri while behind 2013 Vuelta a España winner Chris Horner (USA/Lampre) was the first to attack. Nibali followed the American and then put him in his rear view mirror. Polka dot jersey wearer Rafal Majka (Poland/Tinkoff-Saxo), worried about Nibali incidentally taking the KOM lead with the win, attacked out of the Valverde group.

With 8 km remaining, Nibali blew by Nieve. Back in the favourites group an attack from Pinot, Jean-Christophe Peraud (France/Ag2r) and American Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) – third, fourth and sixth on GC – shed Valverde, who spent the rest of the race labouring to get back to them.

While Nibali increased the gap, the Pinot group picked up Majka with 2.5 km to go. Nibali raised his arms in triumph as he plumped his lead to 7:10. Majka tried to be second on the day, but Pinot pushed past the Pole. There are now 15 seconds separating 2nd place Pinot, 3rd place Peraud and 4th place Valverde. The polka dot jersey is Majka’s to keep.

Friday offers a flat semi-respite for the riders before the Saturday’s final big test, a 54-km time trial.

2014 Tour de France Stage 18

1) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) 4:04:17
2) Thibault Pinot (France/FDJ) +1:10
3) Rafal Majka (Poland/Tinkoff-Saxo) +1:12
100) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +31:01
112) Svein Tuft (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.


2014 Tour de France GC

1) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana)
2) Thibault Pinot (France/FDJ) +7:10
3) Jean-Christophe Peraud (France/Ag2r) +7:23
121) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +3:57:20
132) Svein Tuft (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +4:12:21

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