Jack Bauer got agonizingly close to the biggest win of his career when the peloton caught him less than 100m from the line in stage 15 of the Tour de France. Having taken a rare chance to chase personal success, the Kiwi even though that he had taken the win but with 50m to go, he realized that he had nothing.

Gone with Martin Elmiger (IAM) for nearly 220 km, Jack Bauer (GRS) was caught by the peloton with 100 metres to go.  

"It's just bitter, bitter disappointment," he said. "It's a childhood dream to win a stage of the Tour and for a domestique, like myself, I'm normally working for others. This was my first chance to be up the road and with the chance in the wind and the weather, Martin and I realised we had a chance for the win.

"I faked to be tired but felt I had more punch left. I left it until 400 metres to go. I thought I had it but then I realised in the last 50 metres that I had nothing.

"A break is not just a group of people who are stronger than the other 180 riders and they just ride away. It's a shuffle at the start of the stage, it's a positioning thing, it's a motivational thing after two hard days. A lot of people wanted a sprint finish but for us it was important. After losing Talansky and not really having many stages in the last week that suit, today was a day we had to gamble that a break would stay away. It was so close but so far."