A short stage with a brutal finish netted a significant change to several classifications in the penultimate stage of the Tour de France Saturday and the big winner of the 125km race from Annecy to the ski station above the town, Annecy Semnoz, was Nairo Quintana (Movistar).

The Colombian won the stage in emphatic manner and gained several extras for finishing the race 17” ahead of Joaquím Rodriguez (Katusha) and 29” in front of Chris Froome (Sky). It was a day when Movistar did most of the work at the front of the peloton as the team knew it had the most to gain and Quintana duly delivered all four extras that he sought: a stage victory, the lead of the climbing classification, victory in the best young rider competition and second place overall.

Froome and Quintana followed Rodriguez most of the way up the climb but near the ‘Flamme Rouge’ Froome accelerated briefly and led under the 1km to go sign. This essentially acted as a sign for Quintana to launch his final blitz. He raced into the lead and would win his first Tour stage, 50 points for first place of the ‘hors category’ climb and thus move onto the throne as King of the Mountains in the 100th edition while simultaneously clinching victory in the competition for the white jersey.

"I can't believe what has happened, I have no words,” Quintana explained after the stage. “I had dreamt of this for a very long time, but didn't believe it could come so early. I'm just a 23-year-old boy, but time goes fast, and today is a day to cry out of pure happiness. We thought winning the stage was feasible, but I wasn't as convinced as my DS or the team. They're impressive: they help me so much, especially on the psychological side, to cope with such big challenges. This victory goes to Arrieta, the best DS I ever had, and every single member of the team.”

In his first ever Tour de France, the Colombian has clinched a stage victory, 2nd overall, the KOM and the best young rider competition.