Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) continued his dominance of the Tour de France sprints when he took his fourth victory on stage 14 of the French race. Having positioned himself on Marcel Kittel’s (Etixx-QuickStep) wheel for the headwind sprint, he timed his effort perfectly to come around the German and hold off Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) to claim his 30th stage win in the race. Chris Froome (Sky) finished safely and retained the lead.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Mark Cavendish: I hope that I will have another two opportunities

Mark Cavendish made it another incredible day for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka as he won stage 14 of the Tour de France. It was Cavendish’s 4th win of the Tour and the African Team’s 5th of the race this year. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) finished 2nd and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) placed 3rd.

 

The 208km from Montelimar to Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux was always looked at as being a stage for the sprinters. It was a stage the sprint ace Cavendish had targeted weeks ago and so the African Team’s plan was clear from early on in the stage. When 4 riders went clear in a breakaway attempt, Natnael Berhane went to the front of the peloton to control the gap.

 

The threat of crosswinds was constant throughout the day and so the African Team made sure to keep the gap under 4-minutes for the entire day while also keeping Cavendish protected at the head of the peloton. With 25km to go, Daniel Teklehaimanot and Serge Pauwels took over from Berhane and began upping the tempo with a precarious crosswind section coming up. The faster pace meant the breakaway was caught just inside 10km to go and a few riders then lost contact with the head of the race.

 

Cavendish and the Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka troops were perfectly positioned to execute the plan for the finale. Bernhard Eisel was flawless in piloting the boys up until 6km to go and then the South African, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg took over. For the final kilometer Cavendish had Boasson Hagen as his guardian right up until the Manxman fixed himself to the wheel of Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quickstep).

 

Kittel launched the sprint with around 250m to go and Cavendish was poised to jump going around the final right hand bend. Cavendish did so perfectly, rocketing into the lead and across the line first to take his 30th career Tour de France stage victory – a phenomenal achievement for the Manxman and a special win for our African Team, coming on the final day of the #Qhubeka5000 challenge campaign.

 

Mark Cavendish said:
 

“It was a great day. It was a long day and it was easy to lose concentration and waste energy on a day like today. When it’s a headwind and the sun is out like that, you really have to try preserve yourself. The guys made sure I had everything I needed and was sheltered from the wind the whole day.

 

”Natnael rode the whole day from the front and then it was important to be on the front from a long way out because of the narrow road. We had Daniel and Serge riding to control the bunch and catch the breakaway.

 

”We had to use Bernie up early as well. He had to drop us off with 6km to go. From then on it was Reinie and Edvald looking after me. With 2km to go I saw Etixx-Quickstep were a little undermanned for a headwind finish, so I made sure I was on Marcel Kittel’s wheel. Edvald stayed there with me to make sure I was sheltered from the wind and I just rode of the back of those.

 

”Kittel was left a little early into the headwind so I waited until he got his peak speed and then jumped around him for the line. I am really happy with another win for Team Dimension Data and more exposure for Qhubeka, to get 5000 children on bicycles

 

"We knew we had to be there, it went from narrow to narrower with 6km to go. There was a little crosswind there. You saw the guys riding in the last 40km to see us there with Daniel Teklehaimanot and Serge Pauwels, after Natnael was riding the whole day. Bernie kept us there for the narrow section, and then it was about jumping trains to the end, actually.

 

"Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg is not very experienced, he needs Bernie to guide him there. Reinardt messed up a bit - I was on Kittel and he brought the other trains past, and I thought, oh this is it, it's finished. I followed Kittel, Edvald stayed there, he made sure I was there. We got through, and then I saw they led out quite early Etixx did, and I knew Kittel would be left on the front quite soon into the headwind. So I knew I had to wait, wait, wait and let him die and then come around.

 

"I jumped around him and obviously it bent over to the right and he's kicked off a little bit, but I was way past him by then. I don't figure there's anything wrong there. I think he was just frustrated.

 

"A lot of people ask what the difference this year, with the track, and to be fair it is the track but it's not really what people think. It's not that I've got more leg speed or strength – I'm exactly the same physically as I have been in the last years – but it's just that you kind of refresh your racing nous when riding the track. You learn to be patient, to assess situations really quickly, and that's been part of the advantage this year. I've been a lot more patient than I was last year.

 

"What you saw today, it's normally instinct to jump when the person in front of you jumps. I knew Marcel would be on the front early, I assessed it with 2km to go, they had four guys and that's not enough into a headwind. In fact his team did a really good job, Sabatini did more than I thought he would, but Kittel ultimately spent too long on the front and it was a case of waiting until he lost his peak speed and jumping round him in the final.

 

"We [Kittel and Cavendish] didn't have time to talk – he hit me on the back but I thought he was saying well done. I didn't see it – I was in front of him – the first I knew about it was when I was next to. I saw it again and we've come together but if you look at him next to the barriers it's him who comes off the barriers more than anything.

 

"There are two more sprint opportunities I think. Monday in Bern, it's not an easy sprint but it's a sprint and it's on Nelson Mandela day so it's important for the team. I said I'm not going to put myself over the edge. If I get sick or I'm on my hands and knees I'll have to stop, but I feel in good shape, the morale in the team is good, so I'll carry on as long as I can.

 

In-form Alexander Kristoff eyes Bern stage after ‘too easy’ sprint stage

It was finally another stage for the sprinters and Team KATUSHA’s Alexander Kristoff used his teammates to perfection to try for the win. The strong Norwegian rider lit out for the finish line on the left, but a hard-charging Mark Cavendish took the victory on the right-hand side of the course, leaving Kristoff in second place and looking for more.

 

”It was close. My teammates, first Angel Vicioso, then Marco Haller and Jacopo Guarnieri did good work to bring me to the front. We did just as we’d planned, but unfortunately I had Degenkolb between me and Cavendish and that was just a little too much for me to close in the last 150 meters. I didn’t find an opening to go before that point. I felt very strong and I was coming at the end because of the head wind. If I had timed it a little bit better maybe I could have fought really close with Cav, but he’s won a lot of sprints here and you can see he’s in really good shape. It’s hard to beat him on a day like today. I hope we have another chance in two days in Bern. Usually if it’s a stage where I can barely survive, I still come up with a good sprint, so today was a little bit too easy for me but we tried our best and we almost made it. My teammates did a really, really good job. Cavendish was just a little bit better than me. I cannot complain,” said team leader Alexander Kristoff.

 

”

"I did a good sprint and the team did a good lead out, we had a plan. When we come to a sprint here, and they are not tired, I know that it is difficult to beat them.”

 

“Of course I cannot put my nose in the wind too early since I need to be ready for Alex in the last meters. We know Alex is a super strong rider and he’s competing against the fastest guys here. When you think about riders like Cavendish or Kittel, those are riders who cannot win a big classic, which of course Alex has done, so we have to keep our feet on the ground. We want to win a stage. It would be more in Alex’s favor if the stage was a little bit harder so everyone would be more fatigued. We hope Bern is a chance for him. We will keep on fighting,” said sprint-team member Marco Haller.

 

”We tried to come from a little bit behind; Angel and Jacopo and Marco did a good job to put me there. I think I had the legs, but maybe I found the way a little bit too late. I had good speed because from behind it’s always easier in a head wind. Cavendish is really aero and fast, so I knew that he would be difficult to beat today. I'm happy to finish second but for sure I was hoping to win. Cavendish is just faster right now.

I’m happy to finish second but for sure I was hoping to win. He’s had 30 victories here in the Tour de France so chapeau to him. It’s incredible what he’s done in the Tour. I did a good sprint but I know when we come to these type sprints and these guys are not tired, it’s tough for me to beat them. The guys did very good work for me today. I really appreciate what they did for me. It was a good team effort. I almost had him. It was close today and my shape is good. Maybe in two days I will have another chance,” said Alexander Kristoff.

 

”Today we were expecting to be up there because we knew Alex was getting better in the second and third week. We knew it was a hard headwind, so we gambled a little bit and came in from behind. I think we did a good job, me and Marco, but unfortunately Cavendish is really fast at the moment. I think we are headed in the right direction. We still have two sprints and I think in Berne is good for us, so hopefully we can all come together to the finish. I’ve been working for two years with Alex and we’ve found a good combination that works. We have to play it a little differently here because Mørkøv is missing, but I think we’re doing a job we can be proud of. We have not won yet, but if you are giving 100% and you are sure about yourself, you can be happy. It’s the Tour de France – it’s the most challenging race we have in the year. Being here in the front of the race is important and we are on the way to getting a win,” said lead out manJacopo Guarnieri.

 

Peter Sagan: Today the goal was to limit the losses

Coming from a long way behind, Peter Sagan took third, negotiating the sprint trains of his rivals, and taking his sixth top three finish at the race so far.

 

Sport Director, Steven De Jongh, explained the peloton’s initial reluctance to form a break.

 

“It was a really long day on the bike today into the head wind, and everyone is feeling the legs after two hard weeks of racing. So there wasn't much enthusiasm for the breakaway this morning but eventually one got away.”

 

A little over 60km to go came the intermediate sprint. While the breakaway took the bulk of the points, it was Peter Sagan who surged ahead to take the first points of the bunch, adding to his tally in the green jersey standings.

 

It was a tough run in to the finish with some late bends to test the sprinters, with the final turn a right-hander that saw teams fighting hard to hold position. Riding into a headwind, Sagan came from a long way back, where he had been slowed by the other teams’ sprint train riders dropping off, taking 3rd on the line after a huge effort. His top three finish saw him limit the points difference to those chasing him in the Maillot Vert campaign.

 

Finishing with the same time as the sprinters, Roman Kreuziger maintained his 11th spot in the GC, ready to take on the Alps tomorrow.

 

De Jongh summed up the team’s strategy for getting in position for the sprint in the tough weather conditions.

 

“In the final, the sprinters’ teams started to control the race and we kept quiet and looked after Peter and Roman before the section where there were some crosswinds, where we moved up. At the finish Peter fought his way up to the front and did a good sprint. It's always hard for him to win a really fast finish like today against the big guys, but he did a good job.”

Speaking from the stage finish, Sagan was pleased to have kept hold of the green jersey today.

 

“Today was a long day and a bit of risky sprint – it was into a headwind and a lot of riders wanted to be at the front and sit in the wheels. It's much easier to come back when you are in the wheels. So everyone comes back and you fall behind. I'm already happy not to have crashed. I started from far back and slowly came up to third place. I lost a few points but there are a lot of climbing stages where I hope to take some points. Today for the green jersey it was about losing the fewest points possible.

 

“Third is better than fourth for the points classification. There are mountain stages in which I can take more points.

 

“I don't know what made Marcel Kittel complain about Cavendish in the sprint. I was far back and I was coming to the front. I'm happy with my third place.

 

”Cavendish is good! What's his record of stage wins at the Tour de France? Six? He's still three to go to beat his record then. He has done a strong sprint again today. He's ready for the Olympics.

 

”There's no hierarchy among the sprinters. One year it's Kittel winning most of them, the year after it's Greipel, now Cavendish is back. Good on him!”

 

It’s back to the mountains tomorrow for stage 15, where the six categorised climbs of the day make the 160km parcours look more like a set of sharks' teeth. The Hors Catégorie Grand Colombier will be the climb of the day, climbing 12.8km before a fast descent to the final climb of the day – the first category Lacets du Grand Colombier – tackling the same climb from different approaches. The team’s focus will be on looking after Roman on what will be a tough, hot day in the mountains, explained De Jongh.

 

“Tomorrow will be a much different day and it's going to be another test for the GC guys where we will look to support Roman.”

 

John Degenkolb: This is a huge confidence boost

With the 4th place on today’s stage, it was John Degenkolb best place finish so far at this year’s edition. This stage was the last few chances of a bunch sprint before the peloton heads to the mountains stages.

Christopher Froome (Team Sky) remains in the lead in the overall classification and Warren Barguil is 16th.

 

John Degenkolb said: “It is a great feeling to be up there in the sprint and we have tried very hard during the last couple of sprint stages. The more pressure I put on myself, the more difficult it is to be up there in the finale. However we had the patience to wait for the right day and today I felt already that my legs were getting better and better during the stage.

 

“When you feel in good shape, you also have the instinct to use the right gears in the finale and I was happy as I thought for one moment I could pass Cavendish but it was not to be as he is the best sprinter in the world at this time.

 

“I am not very far from them and that is great to see and I am very happy about that. I have to remain patient and try again. We still have some stages left to go for results. If there are no victories after Paris I would still be content.

 

"It was super important for me to keep the trust of my team. It means a lot to me and they did a great job to lead me there. In the finale, I took the right wheels, I had the punch, I was part of the top flight. It really boosts my morale. It's very positive for the last week of the Tour.

 

“There were doubts but we knew it was a matter of time. You have to wait and the more pressure you put on yourself the more things fail you. I hope I'll be at my best on the Champs-Elysées.

 

"It feels good to take to be able to sprint to the finish, to fight for the victory. It was a fast sprint and that's not really my specialty. But I had a good position and I am very happy that I could participate up front after everything I've been through. It was crazy in the final, riders fell back due to the wind, others who wanted to maintain their position or move forward.

 

"The final was pretty good for me. I was in a good position, it was very hectic and very chaotic again, and I was very happy to do a sprint until the line because it was the thing that has been missing in the last couple of sprint stages. I'm happy to be up there and also with the result.

 

"I hope I can compete for the win on the Champs-Elysees. That's my big goal when I suffered last week. I don’t want to use too much energy in the mountains. Then it is all or nothing in Paris.”

 

Coach Marc Reef added: “It was again a long and warm day for the riders. There was headwind all day so we expected a bunch sprint finish. For the sprint, we worked for John and it was once again very chaotic in the finale. We put John in the perfect position after some great work from our guys.

 

“For the first time, John could do a sprint and he finished fourth. It shows that it is really promising for the upcoming stages and it will give a confidence boost to the whole team.”

 

Frustrated Marcel Kittel: This was not the correct result

For Etixx-QuickStep, Petr Vakoč took some really long pulls and spending countless kilometers at the head of the peloton to make sure the stage will come down to the expected bunch gallop. In the final two kilometers, Etixx – Quick-Step made its way to the front of the pack with four riders, who worked to bring Marcel Kittel in the best position for the sprint. Fabio Sabatini was the German's last man and once his job came to an end in the final 250 meters, Kittel launched his sprint, but was passed by Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), who slightly changed his line once he took the front, and went on to win the stage, ahead of Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff).

 

Despite missing out on a tenth career win at the Tour de France, Marcel Kittel had words of praise for his teammates, who showed the Etixx – Quick-Step kit at the front right from the start of the stage and made sure of setting him up in a good position for the sprint:

 

"First of all I want to say that my team did a really good job, controlling the race, bringing me to the final and leading me out. I'm very proud of that and I want to thank the guys. Unfortunately, we didn't get the result we wanted and I must admit I'm disappointed."

 

By far the most successful World Tour rider of the season in terms of victories, Kittel also wanted to clear the air and dismiss any talks of a polemic between him and Mark Cavendish following the finish in Villars-les-Dombes:

 

"I started my sprint at 250 or 220 metres to go, at the bottom of the right-hand turn, and once I was in front, I saw Cavendish coming by and as soon as he passed me he went to the right, I had to brake to avoid a crash and that was it. That move definitely influenced the result of today's stage, but it's not up to me to decide on this matter. I'm just disappointed of the outcome, because I had good sprinting legs.

 

"What happened, happened. In the end my opinion is not important as long as the jury doesn't take a decision. It is what it is. But I believe that Cavendish could have acted otherwise, he could do better than that. All I can say is that I think that the result we have on paper is not what it normally would be. And of course I'm very disappointed.

 

"I definitely had good sprinting legs. But in the end it's not important. My team did a really good job of leading me out and controlling the race. I'm very proud of that, but unfortunately we didn't get the result we wanted, and it's one of the last sprints now."

 

Jens Debusschere abandons the Tour de France

Jens Debusschere was involved in a crash during the fourteenth stage of the Tour de France and therefore he’s forced to abandon the race. Further examinations have shown that Debusschere has a fissure in his scapula, a disrupted collar bone,  a knee incision and a bruised hand.

 

Jens Debusschere said:

 

“Abandoning the Tour is very hard mentally as well as physically. I did a sanitary stop and picked up some water bottles at the team car after I crashed with among others Matti Breschel. It was a dumb accident with big consequences.

 

”Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to show what I’m capable of during the past two weeks, although I felt really good. It will be very important to recover entirely and after that I’ll focus on the final part of the season. Normally, that’s a good period for me so we’ll see.”

 

Thomas De Gendt: Tomorrow Majka will challenge me

André Greipel finished sixth. Thomas De Gendt won the first KOM sprint of the day and he remains leader in that classification.

 

“I didn't do much today because I expect Rafal Majka to challenge me for the polka dot jersey tomorrow. I took it easy. It was a long but easy day.”

 

”Sometimes things aren't working out like you want! Thanks for all birthday wishes and thanks @Lotto_Soudal for the support over + over again,” Greipel tweeted after the stage.

 

Bryan Coquard: It was not really a finish for me

"It is not a great disappointment,” Bryan Coquard said after his seventh place. “It was not really a finish for me. I think I can be a match, but when you're 10th with 300 metres to go, you cannot look for victory. There was some friction with Peter Sagan but the race was already set. There was headwind from the left and we said we would go left and Adrien Petit went right, I didn't have the time to understand. The headwind was interesting for me but the best man won. It's good that we have two opportunities left."

 

 

“Last year, there was not much for us and the mountains will make for some for tired bodies. Cavendish is always on the lookout for the right wheel, I have not seen how he won, but it's great for him to take four stages, while I just dream about winning one. I do not think he is well above the rest. He manages his sprints well and Kittel was able to beat him. There are two opportunities to try to beat him again.”

 

Davide Cimolai: It’s not easy when you don’t have any teammates

For Lampre-Merida, Davide Cimolai managed to remain close to the best sprinters of the Tour, exploiting their trains and placing eighth in the stage.

"Today I am happy because I had the opportunity to sprint with the best sprinters in the Tour,” he said. “To do a sprint in this race without teammates available in the last kilometers is not easy. I know I have to make the most of the work of the other teams to have the legs to compete in the sprint. The last kilometers were slightly downhill and I tried to the last to take advantage of the slipstream to come back on the sprinters who were better placed. I managed to recover up to eighth place and am quite satisfied. I want to improve in the next opportunity.

 

"It was a sprint that favored a comeback because it was against the wind, and as always in the end there was a great war between the various trains. I avoided wasting unnecessary energy like I had maybe done in the past. In the end it was an eighth place. It gives me hope for the next stages. The important thing is to be there to fight.”

 

”I attacked on the first climb to score a point but De Gent is more powerful and was able to overtake me and earn 1 point,” his teammate Rui Costa wrote in his diary. “Then three riders attacked and they took the final points.

 

”I did a quiet stage, I helped the team and then saved power, already thinking about the hard day tomorrow.”

 

Christophe Laporte: I had expected more

"I'm disappointed,” Christophe Laporte said after his ninth place. “It was a hard-fought sprint. I was well placed with three kilometers to go and then we fell back. I was in the wheel of Geoffrey Soupe and I did not find any opening. I stayed in my place and I was ninth. I expected better after my top 5 in Montpellier and Montauban. Now we have to survive the Alps to do a final sprint on the Champs Elysees.

 

Lead-out man Geoffrey Soupe added: 
 

"It was a difficult sprint, nobody wanted to let go because it was certainly the last opportunity before the Champs Elysees. There was not really one stronger team. Many sprinters sought for the lead-out men and vice versa. That was also the case for us. Obviously it created swerves, but it was relatively ok. We have a good team, what we lack is not the quality or aggressiveness, but rather enough guys to do like Etixx - Quick Step for example. With our means we do nice things as Christophe still got his fifth top 10 in 5 sprints.”

 

Samuel Dumoulin in the mix on his home roads at the Tour de France

"The more we went on in the stage, the more I found myself on the roads of my childhood with many people who encouraged me, especially 60km from the finish. ,” Samuel Dumoulin said after his 10th place. “It was exciting to experience in the Tour de France. I was motivated and I was there in the sprint. I tried because there was headwind. I could not come back.

 

“I knew there would be many trains. I could perhaps have done better, I really started the last moment. It was a little different from the sprint in the Dauphiné last year where the finish was the same. It was a little faster and I could not do as I wanted in the final meters.”

 

Dylan Groenewegen: I am too tired

Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s Dylan Groenewegen sprinted to 11th in stage 14 to Villars-les-Dombes today. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) won the 208-kilometre stage from a bunch sprint after an escape of four was brought under control. 

 

"I think there is no more in it, I start to get tired,” Groenewegen said.

 

He blamed it on the final two kilometres.

 

"We were all right and some guys in front of me hit the brakes. I hit the grass and lost my team. Wynants then brought me back to the front, but in the sprint, I lacked power. I started my sprint in 12th place and I crossed the line 11th, which proves that I miss the power that I normally have.

 

"It is mainly because such a grand tour does have impact, and it is not abnormal that I'm getting tired."

 

“Monday’s stage is probably too heavy so the final, so my next chance is if I reach Paris. If I keep well, I’ll make it and try to sprint in Paris.

 

“After the Nationals, I habe been very busy with everything and the Tour has a lot of impact on me. All in all I start to feel a little fatigue which is normal I think.

 

“My goal was not to get to Paris but to learn for the next years. I've done that so far, it's getting better. If I feel okay, I want to finish. I will see how it goes.”

 

"We heard a lot of shouting over the radio at two kilometres remaining, Dylan went on the roadside,” Sports Director Merijn Zeeman added. “The men waited for him, but it took a lot of strength and Groenewegen wasn’t at the front anymore.

 

“We are full of motivation to deliver a good sprint before the Alps, but we have not succeeded."

 

 "Because of the headwind, we decided to wait,” Sep Vanmarcke said. "We were good together in the last three kilometres, where the wind played a major role. If you have headwind you quickly become tired and lose each other, so we decided to do short turns on the front.

 

“It's a shame because we were good together and we seemed to be perfect today.

 

“He showed a lot of character in the Pyrenees. If he makes it through the Alps, I hope he’s good for the sprint in Paris."

 

Sam Bennett back in the mix in Tour de France sprint

For the sprinters from BORA – ARGON 18 it was but first they had Cesare Benedetti in the break. He could win one KOM and the intermediate sprint.

 

Sam Bennett took on the sprint then for the first time after his crash on stage one. He really showed courage when sprinting to 12th place today. Physically it was a great effort, but mentally it is hard to judge how hard it must have been to fight for positions again. Bennet deserves great respect for this performance.

 

Emanuel Buchmann, the man for the GC, finished this stage with the peloton in 34th place.

 

“Bartosz [Huzarski] and Paul [Voss] helped me very well before the final kilometres. Shane [Archbold] was all the time behind me and in the final in front of me. The guys did a fantastic job all the day. I think I tried to be brave in the sprint, but it is one of the hardest things to do in cycling to go back in a bunch sprint like that, after crashing in Belgium and here in the first stage. That was mentally so difficult when I got one or two bumps from the side. I tipped the brakes and lost some speed, that cost me 5 or 6 places. It will be easy for some people to say you need to be more aggressive, but honestly I did well today to be back in a bunch sprint and it is a big stepping stone for me. I cannot thank the guys enough for their support,” said Sam Bennett.

 

Adam Yates: Tomorrow I will try to take back time

Michael Matthews finished in 14th place on stage 14 of the Tour de France today whilst ORICA-BikeExchange teammate Adam Yates finished safely in the peloton to reatain the White Jersey and third on the general classification.

 

Stage ten winner Matthews again pitted himself against the big names of the sprinting world and just missed out on the top ten after a fast finish to a very pedestrian stage.

 

Mark Cavendish (Dimension-Data) won the sprint and the stage whilst Yates, the leader of the best young rider category finished alongside the rest of the overall contenders and remains in third place ahead of tomorrow’s stage 15.

 

Sport director Matt White was pleased that Yates and ORICA-BikeExchange made it through the long stage without incident.

 

“It was a pretty uneventful stage today, long and into a headwind for most of the day,” said White. “We saw some negative racing from the bunch, it’s a long Tour de France this year maybe two or three hundred kilomtres longer than usual and you saw a lot of teams taking the opportunity to recover a little today.

 

“We protected Adam (Yates) very well and came through the stage without any problems. Tomorrow is going to be relentless all day long and it was important to try and conserve as much energy as possible today.

 

“There are four big tests coming up in the mountains and tomorrow is the first, this is as tough as it gets. The first climb comes straight out of the neutral zone and the racing will start immediately.”

 

“It was a crazy day with a lot of wind and very few candidates to break away because of what's coming tomorrow,” Yates said. “It wasn't a rest day but a quiet day. Tomorrow I believe there'll be a breakaway with 20 to 30 riders. I don't know if I'll be up there for the win but if I can I'll try something to gain some time. My form is good. There's no reason for that to change.”

 

Jeremy Roy: I didn’t want to be bored all day

Jeremy Roy was the most aggressive rider.

 

“At the beginning of the stage we paid attention to monitor if a big group wasn't going away but it became very quiet,” he said. “I didn't want to get bored all day. It would be nicer to be at the front. I've been happy with three riders coming across. We swapped turns very well. I've never believed we would make it but at the end Martin Elmiger had some strength left. We maintained ad advantage of 40 seconds but with the block head wind, there was nothing more we could do.”

 

"We all saw that the wind would be very strong. There were not many candidates to be in the break, especially as it was the last day dedicated to sprinters except for perhaps Bern and the Champs Elysees at the finish finish. After a while, I decided to go into the battle and fortunately three other riders accompanied me. I could enjoy the moment in front case because I was the only French rider.

 

"I have not thought about the stage win because the gap was small but still we managed to accelerate and we could fight almost to the end. We had to start from zero at FDJ and we move forward as best we can. I hope that the negative spiral is over. I hope we will be a little lucky in the last week.

 

"Pinot will not go to the Olympics, this is what we feared. We all hope he recovers. He will come back stronger.”

 

Matti Breschel crashes out of the Tour de France

It was a mixed day for Cannondale. Alex Howes spent the day up the road - his third breakaway of the 2016 Tour. He was caught 14km before the bunch sprint finale won by Cavendish.

 

In less happy news, Matti Breschel crashed out of the race today. X-rays reveal no fractures to his arm or leg. There is a deep laceration on his lower right leg that will require stitches. If all goes well, recovery should be quick.

 

Dan McLay: I can’t blame anyone but myself

The day's stage was promised to the sprinters and it did not displease Dan McLay. Since the start of the Tour, the Brit can boast of having obtained three top 10 results and one podium, not bad for a first Tour. The whole Fortuneo team was organized around Dan McLay to try to do a good sprint. Unfortunately he was locked against the barriers in the final 200 meters after a big job to get into position. 

 

Dan McLay said:

 

"Florian [Vachon], Armindo [Fonseca] and all the others put me in the best possible conditions. I was in the right wheels: those of Cavendish and Kittel. With 500 meters to go, I accelerated, I wanted to go right but I found myself locked against the barriers. I could not start my sprint. The legs were heavy but as I approached the finish line, I felt better. I am disappointed not to have been able to defend my chances but I cannot blame anyone but myself. A difficult stage is waiting for me tomorrow. I'll just give the best, as I do every time, and hope that I can survive.”

 

Armindo Fonseca added:

 

"In the end it was a big fight. We stayed with Dan McLay as long as possible. Brice Feillu and Vegard Breen did the work until two kilometers from the finish. Then Dan, Florian and I stayed at the front in the wheels of Etixx. We tried to lead Dan out but unfortunately there was a swerve in the last 200 meters. Sprints cannot always work out but maybe next time? Nevertheless, we set up something good around him. Personally, the role that I had today is fine. Once I'm there, I can fight for position.”

 

Sports director Sébastien Hinault said:

 

"Dan had the legs to get a good result. Unfortunately, he was boxed by Bryan Coquard in 200 meters from the line. I think he had the legs to pull off a new top 5. If he were not blocked, it was almost guaranteed. The team must use these sprints to progress. It is by practicing that one becomes stronger and it's very motivating to have a good sprinter in the team. "

 

Andriy Grivko protects Fabio Aru at the Tour de France

Andrey Grivko is at his 9th participation at the Tour de France: 

 

“I really like this race, it is difficult, many times really difficult, but it is the top for a cyclist,” explained Grivko. “This year we are here to help our captain, Fabio Aru, to do the best possible in the GC. At the moment he is 10th but I’m sure he will improve his position in the last week of race, starting from tomorrow’s difficult stage.

 

“My condition is good, I’m satisfied because I’ve arrived well prepared to the race and from tomorrow we will start the most important part for our team: I’m ready to help.

 

“Fabio is very young but also very strong and my job at his side is to help him in the flat stages like today to avoid any risk of crashes or losing time. I believe I can say we did a good job until now and we are all looking forward to the mountain stages of the last week, where Fabio should do really well.”

 

Richie Porte and Tejay van Garderen pleased to survive stressful stage

It was another slow day in the saddle ending in a bunch sprint on stage 14 of the Tour de France which saw Richie Porte and Tejay van Garderen safely delivered to the line by their teammates.

 

Strong winds made an already long stage even longer, with the peloton letting a four-man breakaway stay away until just three kilometers to go.

 

The sprinters’ teams worked hard to pull the breakaway back, as did BMC Racing Team’s riders at the front of the bunch to keep Porte and van Garderen out of trouble in the hectic finale.

 

Tejay van Garderen remains in sixth place on the General Classification, and Richie Porte in eighth place, behind current leader Chris Froome (Team SKY). BMC Racing Team continues to lead the Team Classification, 2’30” ahead of Movistar Team.

 

Richie Porte said:

 

“There were cross winds, head winds, the wind was just swirling everywhere. After such a hard time trial yesterday it was just a niggly sort of stage, tricky roads and quite a tricky final. It’s a nice one to get done to be honest. Michael Schär and Marcus Burghardt today in the last 20 kilometers pretty much dragged the whole peloton, and Rohan Dennis as well.

 

”It’s nice to get back into the mountains tomorrow and we’ll just see what happens. It’s a very hard stage so we’ll see how everyone is after today.”

 

Tejay van Garderen added:

 

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it was the hardest stage of the race but there’s never an easy day at the Tour de France. It was hot with lots of head wind. I wouldn’t say it was the most nervous stage but it was long. I’m just glad to get through it.

 

”The team has been stellar the whole race. We definitely owe a lot to them and hopefully we can repay them with tomorrow and get through the third week.”

 

Amaël Moinard said:

 

“There is no easy stage in the Tour de France. It is really hard for the positioning, getting Richie and Tejay in a good place at the finish. To be safe and in position is always a hard job. Tomorrow is also a really hard stage so we have two big stages ahead of us before the rest day.”

 

Jasper Stuyven: I didn’t feel good so I skipped the sprint

Stage 14 was the last chance for the sprinters before Paris and with an added headwind all day there was little doubt of a surprise ending Saturday.

 

With Edward Theuns out of the Tour after fracturing a vertebra in the time trial yesterday, Jasper Stuyven was the go-to sprinter in today's 208.5-kilometer race. However, Stuyven decided to pull back from the chaotic finish and focus what energy he had on getting Bauke Mollema safely into the finish.

 

"I didn't feel good today, and I decided to not participate in the sprint and instead just focus on keeping Bauke (Mollema) safe," explained Stuyven. "I was feeling really, really bad today and then it doesn't make sense to get in the mix, especially on such a sprint, they are not really my favorite.

 

"I was happy that the legs came around in the last 30kms. You think you will be able to move up quickly, but with this wind is was really difficult. I finished with a good feeling and was able to keep Bauke protected and safe. I think tomorrow will be hard."

 

Bauke Mollema finished in the same time as the bunch and maintained his second place in the overall standings ahead of a tricky stage 15 tomorrow.

 

"It was an easy day, not so hard with a headwind all day," said Mollema. "It was a good day to recover – a silence before the storm tomorrow. Tomorrow is another very important day; it will be a day of focus to not lose any time."

 

Martin Elmiger: If you are always at the back, you have no chance of winning.

“If you are always at the back, you have no chance of winning, said Martin Elmiger.  The valiant IAM Cycling road captain tried his luck by joining the day’s main breakaway along with three other riders, in spite of the strong winds which were gusting up to 60km/h. The escapees were never given more than five minutes by the peloton, and the last two fugitives managed to stay ahead up until the final four kilometers.

 

“I have no regrets,” Martin Elmiger explained.  “There are not many stages left that are suited to the baroudeurs and sprinters except for the arrivals in Bern and Paris.  So I had it in mind to get into the break today.  Although the finale was pretty much tailor made for the sprint specialists, you never know.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

 

Illness takes Mathias Frank out of the Tour de France

Suffering for some days with gastric problems that have hampered his ability to perform, the IAM Cycling leader Mathias Frank has had to dismount in the feed zone.

 

Quiet day for Movistar at the Tour de France

Stage 14 of the 2016 Tour de France (206km between Montélimar and Villars-les-Dombes) gave the riders some respite when it came to climbing. However, race conditions were still difficult as strong headwinds forced organisers to move the start time forward, and caused the peloton to barely reach 36kph average  -less than 30km during the first hour. In the end, it was a calm day for Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde, who remain 4th and 5th overall after no changes were seen in the GC, thanks to good teamwork from Erviti, Oliveira and Jesús Herrada at the front of the bunch.

 

The ‘Grande Boucle’ has in store one of its most beautiful stages in the Jura Mountains tomorrow. In just 160km of racing, between Bourg-en-Bresse and Culoz, the route includes - leaving aside the non-rated ascents - the climbs of Berthland (Cat-1), Seppel (Cat-2), Pleseloup (Cat-3), La Rochette (Cat-3), Grand Colombier (HC) and Lacets (Cat-1), the latter just 14km from the end.

 

Chris Froome: Bauke Mollema is my biggest rival

Chris Froome retained the yellow jersey at the Tour de France as the sprinters came to the fore on stage 14.

Froome finished safely in the bunch after a frantic final few kilometres when high winds threatened to split the peloton as the sprinters' teams upped the pace into Villars-les-Dombes.

 

But it came down to a traditional sprint and Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) emerged victorious for the fourth time in the race to claim the 30th Tour stage win of his career.

 

Ian Stannard, Luke Rowe and Geraint Thomas did a fine job of keeping Froome safe as first head, and then crosswinds threatened to cause chaos in the peloton.

 

There was no repeat of Froome's opportunistic attack on stage 11 though, and he, along with his key rivals, finished safely behind Cavendish, who rounded Marcel Kittel (Etixx - Quick-Step) in the closing stages to record his latest win.

 

That keeps Froome one minute and 47 seconds ahead of Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), and a further minute ahead of Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange).

 

“A quiet day was quite welcome today after the two crazy days we've experienced and considering what's to come. It was nice to switch off a little and sit in the peloton, especially with the block head wind.

 

“Tomorrow it'll be a tricky stage. I know the route very well. This stage might have been underestimated because it's not an uphill finish but it has 4000 metres of difference in altitude and a critical final descent. It's a key stage in the middle of the Tour.

 

“It's been a tough Tour so far. We've tested every aspect of bike riding, on the flat, in the mountains, against the clock… I'm happy with advantage I have. It gives me a bit of breathe and space but there's still work to be done.

 

"My expectation for the last week is that it is going to be a very testing week. It's going to be extremely tough, tougher than any of the stages that we've had up until now. I've recon'd most of those stages coming up in the last week, and they are hard, they are extremely hard.

 

"Once we hit the Alps we've got four back to back days that that could make or break the Tour. A lot of people are saying that the Tour is already won, but that's absolute rubbish there is still a lot of hard stages to come.

 

“I am comfortable with the advantage that I've got. I've got a little bit of breathing space but having said that, the hardest part of the race is still to come. It's still all to play for.

 

"I've got no doubt that Quintana is going to attack in the Alps. If the last couple of years are anything to go by he goes really well in the third week. I've got no doubt that he's going to be trying. If not him then Alejandro Valverde seems to be going extremely well.

 

“Other teams like BMC with Tejay [van Garderen] and Richie [Porte] will also be looking to move up to the podium.

 

I was expecting Fabio Aru to be closer on GC at this point of the race. Five minutes is a big deficit to make up but who knows… Stranger things have happened in cycling. We'll keep an eye on him too. Maybe he has saved energy for the last week.

 

"I’ve got to keep an eye on Bauke Mollema, he’s in second place and at the moment he’s my biggest rival.

 

"Bauke has ridden really well; he was there when I attacked on Mont Ventoux, he followed with Richie. He rode a very strong time trial yesterday. He finds himself in second place so at the moment I've got to consider him my biggest rival.

 

"[On the Ventoux], they were extraordinary circumstances and from my point of view I think that the jury made the right decision in terms of the race. This was a really external factor that affected the race. The race was taking shape, the three of us were out in front, and obviously the motorbike blocked the road and caused the crash.

 

"Then a motorbike crashed into the back of me so I didn't even have a bike to ride to the finish so obviously from my point of view I think that they made the right decision in extreme circumstances. It was chaos out on the road there and difficult to know what was happening at the time.

 

”With Mollema, we had made the gap to the other GC candidates. It's a similar decision to the one that was taken for Adam Yates whose crash was caused by the inflatable.”