Sabotage causes multiple punctures for Maillot Jaune contenders as they allow another long breakaway
Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank) took his fourth career victory of the Tour de France, and salvaged something for the ravaged Dutch team, in the 14th stage between Limoux and Foix on a controversial day in the 2012 Tour de France. The Spanish rider escaped from a five-man breakaway group with 11.5km remaining, but the big story of the day was taking place in the peloton behind him, as tacks thrown onto the road caused multiple punctures among the overall race contenders.
Sánchez managed to escaped the clutches of green jersey Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), Gorka Izaguirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) and Sandy Casar (FDJ-BigMat) and, despite the four chasers working together, managed to open up a 47 second gap by the time he hit the finish line. Sagan was challenged in the sprint by Gilbert and Casar, but cruised to second place, with the Frenchman taking third.
“Since the start of the Tour I have never given up on the idea of being in breakaways in the hope of winning stage," said Sánchez after the finish. "I was injured during the first week, but I persisted. Not everything worked out in our favour at first but I knew that this stage was made for me; I really wanted to do something today. Of course, when I saw that Sagan and Gilbert were also in the break, I thought it would be almost impossible to beat them, and my only option was to attack from a long way out. This is why we accelerated with my team-mate [Steven Kruijswijk] at the top of the Mur de Péguère, and then I attacked solo near the finish.
“I intend to keep trying to go in the breakaways and, why not, pick up another stage win," he continued. "I also think about the Olympics, because I'm doing better and better right now and my wrist does not hurt anymore. I'd like to go to do something."
Sánchez finished tenth in both the Tour de France and Vuelta a España in 2010, but harbours no ambitions to try to win a Grand Tour. Instead the 28-year-old is content to pick up breakaway stages like this one.
“I always have had trouble with very high mountains, and that is why it complicates things to aim for overall victory in a Grand Tour," he explained. "I know that since [five-time Tour winner Miguel] Indurain, the Spanish mentality is to be interested mainly in three week races. But I do not have the legs for this kind of feat, even though I already finished in the top 10.
"After all," he added, "I've won four stages on the Tour de France, and I intend to keep adding more.”
The five riders had been part of the main break of the day, which had finally formed after 55km of the 191km stage. With Sánchez, Sagan, Casar, Gilbert and Izagirre were Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Sébastien Minard (AG2R La Mondiale), Russian champion Eduard Vorganov (Katusha), Sánchez’ Rabobank teammate Kruiswijk, Sergio Paulinho (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) and Martin Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step). The group was allowed to get 15 minutes clear by the time they arrived at the stage’s two big climbs.
On the steep climb of the Mur de Péguère with just under 40km to go, Casar got away, but was joined by Sagan and Izagirre, then Sánchez and Gilbert, on the descent.
As the five riders arrived at the short, out-and-back loop along the valley of the Ariège river with 11.5km to go, Sánchez put in his attack and managed to open a stage winning lead. Sagan led the chase group to the line behind him and, despite the best efforts of Gilbert and Casar, took a simple second place.
Behind the group, the peloton decided to allow the riders a huge lead, which reached 16 minutes as it reached the foot of the Mur de Péguère. There were no attacks on the climb, and a series of punctures for Cadel Evans (BMC Racing), then one for Maillot Jaune Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) - caused by tacks thrown on the road - saw the main field neutralise itself on the approach to the finish.
"No one wants to benefit from someone else's misfortune," Wiggins explained afterwards. "So I think we should decide this thing on the climbs, through racing and not through other people's misfortune."
There was an initial attack from stage 11 winner Pierre Rolland (Europcar), but he was chased by the Lotto-Belisol team and sat up with more than 15km to go when he realised what was going on. This meant that all of the race’s general classification leaders finished together and there were no changes overall.
The Pyrénées arrive on a day for the attackers
Having passed a less-than-conventional transitional day on stage 13, the 14th stage saw the race arrive at the Pyrénées. The 191km course was to climb the 2nd category Col du Portel after 30km, but the big challenge lay in the 1st category Port de Lers and Mur de Péguère later on. The Mur de Péguère particularly, with its steep final 3.5km featuring slopes of up to 18% could see the race shaken up, but the 38.5km descent to the finish should prevent any big changes overall.
After numerous attacks in the opening kilometres - including one from Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) and Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis) on the Portel - the eleven rider group began to form. With Team Sky’s Bernhard Eisel tapping out a steady rhythm on the front of the peloton, the group’s lead got bigger, and bigger. After 72km it ticked over ten minutes, and kept on growing.
Sánchez’ and Kruijswijk’s presence in the group represented half of Rabobank’s remaining four-man presence in the race.
Sagan rolled, unchallenged, over the intermediate sprint in Tarascon-sur-Ariège after 99km. Stage 13 winner André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) - the closest thing to a challenger to the Slovakian in the points classification - manoeuvred himself up alongside Eisel as the peloton arrived and he too took the line unchallenged, some 13’20” behind.
The peloton’s speed still didn’t rise however and, as the eleven riders arrived at the foot of the Port de Lers, they were a massive 15 minutes ahead. It began to rain as they neared the top and, after Paulinho had led over the top Gautier was forced to change his bike. Team Sky’s Christian Knees led the peloton over the top 14’15” behind.
Gautier eventually rejoined the leaders at the start of the Mur de Péguère.
The Mur de Péguère begins and the break shatters on its gradients
As the climb began to steepen and narrow Kruijswijk took the front, and teammate Sánchez attacked shortly afterwards. Gilbert followed, with Izagirre and Casar behind him; the were struggling behind them, with Vorganov and Kruijswijk were fading away at the back, but Sagan was gradually pulling Minard across the gap.
Team Sky’s World champion Mark Cavendish was leading the peloton as it arrived on the climb, but the gap was now up to 16 minutes as the leaders were fighting their was to the top. As the gradients began though, the Lotto-Belisol team moved to the front and the pace began to increase.
Sagan left Minard behind and was getting closer, and closer to the leading four and was less than ten seconds back as they approached the final kilometre of the climb. Casar saw the Slovakian approaching though, and jumped out of the saddle to stop him from joining. The Frenchman pulled Gilbert and Izagirre clear, before going off alone, but Sagan was pulling up to the others and beginning to tow them towards the FDJ-BigMat rider.
As Casar led over the top he was a few seconds ahead of Izagirre, but the Sagan was leading the other two not far behind them.
BMC Racing led the peloton onto the steep section of the climb and Evans attacked almost immediately. Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) led the peloton up to the Australian’s wheel however, with most of the race’s big names close to the front.
Team Sky took control once more though, with Richie Porte pushing his way forward on the narrow road; Wiggins and second place Chris Froome were both positioned a few riders behind their mountain domestique however, but Froome soon made his way forward to sit on the Australian’s wheel.
Casar was still alone out front on the much wider descent, and was 18 seconds clear of Izagirre and Sagan with 33km to go; Gilbert and Sánchez were a little further back. Casar was caught by the first two chasers with just under 30km to go however, and Sagan went straight ahead of the Frenchman to keep the pace high and prevent Gilbert and Sánchez making the junction.
Porte’s pace on the front of the peloton had thinned the front group to less than 20 riders, but still there was no move from any of Wiggins’ rivals to attack. The Maillot Jaune himself led up the final slopes and took a yellow jacket from a member of Team Sky staff.
Tacks hit the peloton and Wiggins neutralises the race
Disaster suddenly struck for Evans, as he punctured right at the top of the climb - just as the front of the peloton was starting the descent - and had to wait for a new rear wheel. There were no cars close on the narrow road, not even neutral service. Teammate Steve Cummings arrived after a minute, but he too appeared to have a rear wheel puncture; it was not until Amaël Moinard arrived several moments later that Evans had a new wheel and was able to start the descent in the company of George Hincapie.
Only a few kilometres further on, Evans had to change his wheel again; this time taking one from his team car.
Team Sky had neutralised the peloton ahead of the Australian however, but Pierre Rolland (Europcar) attacked. Wiggins himself then stopped to change his bike, as the peloton began to reform. The gap to the leaders was going up again as Sagan, Casar and Izagirre entered the final 15km.
Shortly after the leading trio passed under the banner they were joined by Sánchez and Gilbert, taking the lead group’s numbers back up to five.
As the gap was rising to 17 minutes, with Team Sky increasingly neutralising the peloton, Evans punctured yet again. This was followed by a first one for Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD).
Sanchez makes his move and the others can’t stop him
With 11.5km to go, on a small rise shortly after they had passed by the edge of Foix to start the final out-and-back leg, Sánchez attacked and the other four failed to respond. As he passed the ten kilometre banner he was 12 seconds ahead and his lead was still growing.
Team Sky was trying to allow Evans to catch up, but the presence of Rolland two minutes ahead of the peloton was beginning to worry Jurgen Van Den Broeck and so Lotto-Belisol began to chase him. The entire BMC Racing Team was pacing the Australian forward however, and was gaining on the Wiggins group, which was also being driven by Liquigas-Cannondale. Rolland, apparently realising what was happening, was picked up with just over 15km to go.
With five kilometres to go Sánchez was 33 seconds ahead of the chasers as he continued the gentle descent towards the finish. The four chasers were working well together, but were making no progress on the lone Spaniard, who was still increasing his lead. With two kilometres to go, he was 45 seconds clear, and only a disaster could prevent his victory.
In the final half kilometre the Spanish rider raised a clenched fist salute to his team car, then crossed himself and pointed to the sky as he crossed the line to take the victory. Sagan led the four chasers into the finish and, unlike at the intermediate sprint, he was challenges as they approached the line.
Gilbert tried to come around him, but Sagan accelerated and took second by a clear length ahead of Casar.
Meanwhile, the peloton had sat up again and Evans had managed to close the gap; Luis Angel Maté (Cofidis) took the sprint for twelfth place 18’15” behind compatriot Sánchez.