Photogallery
Briton Geraint Thomas (left) and yellow Dane Jonas Vingegaard in the 14th stage of the Tour de France. Photo: Daniel Cole, CTK/AP
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Matthews shortly after the start of the 192.5 kilometer long stage from St. Étienne drove to Mende with a group of 22 other competitors and about 50 kilometers before the finish line, he broke away on his own.
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The 31-year-old Australian then defended his lead in the final three-kilometer climb to the Cote de la Croix Neuve with a ten percent climb, in which Alberto Bettiol overtook him.
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Profile 14. etapy Tour de France.Photo: letour.com
Matthews eventually finished 15 seconds ahead of the Italian for his fourth stage success at the Tour and his first in five years. The home representative Thibaut Pinot was third with a loss of 34 seconds.
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“It was a battle today. Riders like me don’t have much of a chance to win a stage because we have to beat the best climbers,” said Matthews, who at one point in the final seemed to run out of steam and Bettiol started to pull away from him. It looked like he would make it to the grades again, as he has done twice this year, and again not win. But he took…
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“The woman told me that if I want to win, I have to come up with something new. When Bettiol overtook me, I remembered her and my father, who sacrificed so much for me, and that we don’t see each other much. I hope they are now on they make me proud because they make all those sacrifices for days like this,” Matthews said.
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The yellow jersey was kept by Vingegaard, who in the final climb without any problems managed all the climbs of the Slovenian Tadej Pogačar. The Danish driver has a lead of two minutes and 22 seconds ahead of the two-time defending champion.
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“I tried to put him under pressure after the start. And I will try tomorrow as well,” said Pogačar, who for the first time tried to overtake the leader ten kilometers after the start, but Vingegaard quickly erased the loss.
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“I wouldn’t say he caught me by surprise, but I was further in the peloton and I couldn’t react quickly. He built up a small lead, but I quickly overtook him and it didn’t take much effort either,” said the Dane.
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Sunday’s stage from Rodez to Carcassonne, 202 kilometers long, should suit sprinters after a long time. Monday will be a day off.
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| Tour de France cycling race – 14th stage (St. Étienne – Mende, 192.5 km): |
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| 1. Matthews (Austr./BikeExchange-Jayco) 4:30:53 |
| 2. Bettiol (It./EF Education-EasyPost) -15 |
| 3. Pinot (Fr./Groupama-FDJ) -34 |
| 4. Soler (Šp./SAE Emirates Team) -50 |
| 5. Konrad (Rak./Bora-hansgrohe) |
| 6. Fuglsang (Dan./Israel-Premier Tech) or -58 |
| 7. Grossschartner (Rak./Bora-hansgrohe) -1:06 |
| 8. Kämna (German/Bora-hansgrohe) |
| 9. Geschke (German/Cofidis) |
| 10. Meintjes (JAR/Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) všichni -1:12 |
| Running order: |
| 1. Vingegaard (Dan./Jumbo-Vism) 55:31:01 |
| 2. Pogačar (Slovenia/SAE Team Emirates) -2:22 |
| 3. Thomas (Brit./Ineos Grenadiers) -2:43 |
| Bardet (Fr./DSM) -3: 01 |
| 5. A. Yates (Brit./Ineos Grenadiers) -4:06 |
| 6. Quintana (Kol./Arkéa-Samsic) -4:15 |
| 7. Meintjes |
| 8. Gaudu (Fr./Groupama-FDJ) both -4:24 |
| 9. Pidcock (Brit./Ineos Grenadiers) -8:49 |
| 10. But (Šp./Movistar) -9:58 |
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