Tour de France 2015 Stage 14: Cummings powers to spectacle win

After a fierce batte to be in the early break, the escapees are awarded with a chance to shine. MTN Quebeka rider Stephen Cummings powers to the win at the steep closing climb, besting Bardet and Pinot at the birthday of the late Nelson Mandela. A marvellous result for the South-African squad, who are debuting in the Tour de France. Once again, Froome puts time into his opponents. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 14th stage Tour de France

1. Stephen Cummings (gbr)
2. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.02
3. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.03
4. Rigoberto Uran (fra) + 0.20
5. Peter Sagan (svk) + 0.29
6. Cyril Gautier (fra) + 0.32
7. Ruben Plaza (spa) s.t.
8. Bob Jungels (lux) s.t.
9. Jonathan Castroviejo (spa) s.t.
10. Simon Yates (gbr) + 0.33

20. Chris Froome (gbr) + 4.15
21. Nairo Quintana (col) + 4.16
23. Alberto Contador (spa) + 4.34
24. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 4.45
25. Tejay van Garderen (usa) + 4.55
26. Robert Gesink (nld) + 5.06
27. Tony Gallopin (fra) s.t.
29. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
30. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.

GC after stage 14
1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Nairo Quintana (col) + 3.10
3. Tejay van Garderen (usa) + 3.32
4. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 4.02
5. Alberto Contador (spa) + 4.23
6. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 4.54
7. Robert Gesink (nld) + 6.23
8. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 8.17
9. Tony Gallopin (fra) + 8.23
10. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 8.53

Race report
Peter Sagan is one of the most active riders eary in the stage. His third attack inspires Pieter Weening, Bartosz Huzarski, Giampaolo Caruso and Warren Barguil to join him. Rolland, Talansky, Pantano, Losada, Uran, Gautier, Hesjedal, Voss, Maté, Ladagnous, Grivko, De Kort, Jungels, Valls, Yates (Simon), Cummings, Plaza, Malori and Périchon bridge the gap and the group of 24 races to a 1 minute advantage. In the pack IAM Cycling leads the chase.

When the gap is down to half a minute, Grivko, Ladagnous, Uran, Plaza and Talansky give it a go, while Jungels, Sagan and Pantano join them. Talansky punctures and his story in the front group is over. Sky is controlling the pack by now and the advantage grows to 8 minutes, while several riders are chasing the front group.

With 78.5 kilometres done Peter Sagan gets what he was looking for in the first place: he wins the intermediate sprint, thus cementing his lead in the points classification. A moment later 13 chasers join them: Romain Bardet, Jan Bakelants, Thibaut Pinot, Jérémy Roy, Jonathan Castroviejo, Greg van Avermaet, Koen de Kort, Simon Yates, Michal Golas, Cyril Gautier, Kristjian Koren, Pierre-Luc Périchon and Stephen Cummings.

With Sky at the controls the advantage lingers at 6 to 7 minutes for a while and with 40 km’s left it’s down to under 6 minutes, but it’s obvious the winner is in the front group. Golas escapes with 15 km’s to go and Koren joins him.

At the steep closing climb Bardet is the first to attacks and he appears to be on the winings track, but in the last kilometere Stephen Cummings and Thibaut Pinot hook up and the MTN-Quebeka Briton powers to the win.

On the lower slopes Quintana attacks but Froome doesn’t wink and following his own pace he accompanies the Colombian to sprint him to shreds on the line. By the way, Froome’s own pace is too much for the likes of Contador and Van Garderen and once again they lose time to the man in yellow.