Tour de France: Carlos Rodriguez wins Stage 14 as epic Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard battle ends in stalemate

Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) took advantage of the GC leaders watching each other to win Stage 14 of the Tour de France, as Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma) emerged from his Alps showdown with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) having made the smallest of possible gains in the battle for the maillot jaune. Together as they came to the top of the final climb, the hors categorie Col de Joux Plane, which came with bonus seconds for the first three riders, Pogacar tried to attack Vingegaard but was impeded by motorbikes, which were themselves slowed by the thick corridor of spectators.

As Pogacar was forced to the front, Vingegaard was then able to launch a surprise attack to claim 8 bonuses, while the Slovenian had to settle for 5. Ad Pogacar crossed the finish line ahead of Vingegaard, collecting two bonus seconds more than the Dane.

This however, was less than Vingegaard had been able to extend his overall lead by, and at the end of the stage it had increased by one to 10 seconds. Tour de FranceTour de France neutralised after ‘extraordinarily nasty moment’ on Stage 144 HOURS AGO An uphill start on a short, punchy course meant the first day in the Alps promised drama.

It nevertheless came unexpectedly early, and in an unwelcome form, when a huge crash involving much of the peloton saw the race neutralised for in excess of 20 minutes. Two riders — Antonio Pedrero (Movistar Team) and Louis Meintjes (Team Intermarché–Circus–Wanty) — abandoned in the immediatel aftermath while Esteban Chaves (EF-Education EasyPost) tried to continue after the racing resumed, only to accept that he couldn't when he was quickly dropped on the first categorised climb, and climbing into a support vehicle.