Michael Matthews of Team Sunweb wins the 14th stage of the 2017 Tour de France while Chris Froome (Team Sky) recaptures the yellow jersey from Fabio Aru (Astana).
Matthews takes Sunweb’s second consecutive win after his teammate Warren Barguil won Stage 13 on Bastille Day.
The race was marked early by a five man breakaway consisting of Thomas Voeckler, Timo Roosen, Maxime Bouet and Reto Hollenstein and Thomas De Gendt. All but De Gendt were caught by the peloton about 25km from the finish line, with the Belgian holding off the pack until 12km from the finish, earning him the stage’s most aggressive rider jersey.
Another small group formed near the end, but they were swept up as the G.C. teams powered their way up the steep 600 meters to the finish line.
Greg Van Avermaet of BMC Racing initially moved into the lead. Degenkolb came around on the left but then fell back as Matthews came off of Van Avermaets’ wheel to pass him with several hundred meters to go.
Matthews and Van Avermaet were given the same time, and a high powered group finished only one second behind them, with not only Boasson Hagen but also Philippe Gilbert, Froome and Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac).
Aru finished in a chasing group 25 seconds back, allowing Froome to re-take the lead of the race.
Stage 14 Brief Results:
- Michael Matthews (Australia / Team Sunweb) 4:21:56″
- Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium / BMC Racing Team) ST
- Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway / Team Dimension Data) +1″
- Philippe Gilbert (Belgium / Quick-Step Floors)
- Jay McCarthy (Australia / BORA-hansgrohe)
- Sonny Colbrelli (Italy / Bahrain-Merida)
- Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky)
- Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step Floors)
- Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Cannondale-Drapac)
- Tiesj Benoot (Belgium / Lotto-Soudal) +5″
General Classification After Stage 14:
- Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 59:52:09″
- Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team) +18″
- Romain Bardet (France / AG2R La Mondiale) +23″
- Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Cannondale-Drapac) +29″
- Mikel Landa (Spain / Team Sky) +1:17″
- Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step Floors) +1:26″
- Simon Yates (Britain / Orica-Scott) +2:02″
- Nairo Quintana (Colombia / Movistar Team) +2:22″
- Louis Meintjes (South Africa / UAE Team Emirates) +5:09″
- Alberto Contador (Spain / Trek-Segafredo)
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