Trentin triumphs in stage 14 of the Tour de France

Matteo Trentin ended a three-year drought for Italian riders and gave Omega Pharma-QuickStep their fourth win of the Tour de France when he surged past his rivals in the break of the day to edge out Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) by less than a wheel in Lyon.

Coming into the final two kilometres, it looked as if Julien Simon (Sojasun) was set to become the first French victor in this year’s race but, after attacking on his own going over the top of the penultimate climb with 15km left, he ran out of juice in the final kilometre, where several members of what had been an 18-man breakaway bridged up to him.

Stage two winner Jan Bakelants (RadioShack) led out the sprint, only to see Albasini fly past him with 200 metres remaining. The Swiss looked like he had done enough to claim the stage, but Tour debutant Trentin came through like a train on his right to deny him, with Garmin-Sharp’s Andrew Talansky very close behind in third.

“This means a lot to me. It’s my first pro victory after two years in the peloton,” said Trentin, who is Omega leader Mark Cavendish’s roommate and one of his key lead-out men.

“The Tour de France is the best place in the world to win, everyone sees you. I played it smart in the break because we did a lot of work and so I think I deserved to miss a few turns. I almost got dropped with cramp on the last climb but managed to hang on. I didn’t have time to think about the finish. [Marcus] Burghardt went with two kilometres and then we caught them. I waited because it was a head wind. Then I went at 200m out and knew I could do a good sprint. I went past Albasini and suddenly realised I’d won.”

The bunch came in more than seven minutes down on the stage winner as the overall contenders saved their legs for Sunday's important finish atop Mont Ventoux. There were no changes in the overall standings among the top 10. However, Talansky’s presence in the break boosted him from 17th to 12th place overall. He is now 5:54 behind Froome and within striking distance of the best young rider's white jersey and a place in the top ten overall.

A high-speed start

Although the GC contenders were no doubt happy to have a much easier day than Friday’s wind-affected slog to St-Amand-Montrond, especially with Mont Ventoux looming on Sunday afternoon, the opening half of the stage was frantic. Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol), Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Leopard) and Blel Kadri (Ag2r La Mondiale) were the first riders to go clear, soon after racing got under way. For the next half an hour, the peloton was never far behind as more teams endeavoured to get riders up to the lead group.

Christophe Le Mével (Cofidis) and French national champion Arthur Vichot (FDJ.fr) were the first two to manage this, although Le Mével soon fell back. Fourteen more riders joined the leading quartet with 55km covered, but another 40km passed before the peloton finally eased off and the break edged away.

In addition to Bak, Voigt, Kadri and Vichot, Talansky was there with teammate David Millar for company, BMC were represented by Tejay van Garderen and Marcus Burghardt, Movistar had Imanol Erviti looking out for sprinter José Joaquín Rojas, and Bakelants joined RadioShack teammate Voigt.

Cyril Gautier (Team Europcar), Pavel Brutt (Katusha), Egoitz García (Cofidis), Simon Geschke (Argos-Shimano), plus Trentin, Albasini and Simon were the sole representatives from their respective teams. Lampre and Vacansoleil were among the squads not represented, which explained a long and ultimately attempt to join the leaders by Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre).

Trentin later gave an insight into the intensity of the opening two hours of racing, revealing: “I checked my average speed after 90km and it was 47km/h.”

Attacks in the finale

The escapees cooperated until they neared the final two of the day’s seven categorised climbs. With 25km remaining, Albasini and Millar both had a dig, but were quickly caught. On the first of those fourth-category climbs, the Côte de la Duchère, Bakelants and van Garderen pressed hard, their pace proving too much for veterans Millar and Voigt.

Cresting that ascent, Simon accelerated into the descent and quickly opened up a substantial gap. With no organised pursuit behind him, he extended his advantage on the final climb, the Côte de la Croix-Rousse, where huge crowds scented a home success and urged him on. At the summit, with 10km remaining, he led lone pursuer Kadri by 24 seconds, with the rest still attacking and countering each other.

Coming off this climb, van Garderen took the initiative, doing a huge turn on the front that halved Simon’s advantage. As the American sat up, Bak was the next to commit himself, Bakelants and Gautier haring after him, followed by Burghardt and Albasini. When these five riders came together, Simon’s lead had been reduced to little more than 50 metres, which Albasini crossed with ease going into the final kilometre, where the group containing Rojas and Trentin also closed in.

Sensing he had shown himself too soon, Albasini eased off and waited until Bakelants got the sprint under way. The Orica rider jumped in behind him, countered and seemed to have it won, only for Trentin to see steam through on the other side of the road in the final 10 metres, becoming Italy’s first stage-winner since Alessandro Petacchi won his second stage of the 2010 Tour in Reims.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step4:15:11
2Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 1 - Cell 2
3Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-SharpRow 2 - Cell 2
4Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 4 - Cell 2
6Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto BelisolRow 5 - Cell 2
7Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 6 - Cell 2
8Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.frRow 7 - Cell 2
9Pavel Brutt (Rus) KatushaRow 8 - Cell 2
10Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 9 - Cell 2
11Julien Simon (Fra) SojasunRow 10 - Cell 2
12Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack LeopardRow 11 - Cell 2
13Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:10
14Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team0:00:46
16Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team0:01:35
17Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack Leopard0:04:31
18David Millar (GBr) Garmin-SharpRow 17 - Cell 2
19Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling0:07:17
20Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Sky ProcyclingRow 19 - Cell 2
21Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 20 - Cell 2
22Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 21 - Cell 2
23Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 22 - Cell 2
24Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 23 - Cell 2
25Richie Porte (Aus) Sky ProcyclingRow 24 - Cell 2
26Daniele Bennati (Ita) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 25 - Cell 2
27Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 27 - Cell 2
29Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 31 - Cell 2
33Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 32 - Cell 2
34Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 35 - Cell 2
37Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 36 - Cell 2
38Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 38 - Cell 2
40Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 39 - Cell 2
41Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 40 - Cell 2
42Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45André Greipel (Ger) Lotto BelisolRow 44 - Cell 2
46Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto BelisolRow 45 - Cell 2
47Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 46 - Cell 2
48Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) KatushaRow 47 - Cell 2
49Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 48 - Cell 2
50Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-SharpRow 49 - Cell 2
51Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack LeopardRow 50 - Cell 2
52Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 51 - Cell 2
53Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin-SharpRow 52 - Cell 2
54Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 53 - Cell 2
55Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-SharpRow 54 - Cell 2
56Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 55 - Cell 2
57Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team EuropcarRow 56 - Cell 2
58Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 58 - Cell 2
60Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 59 - Cell 2
61Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 60 - Cell 2
62Yury Trofimov (Rus) KatushaRow 61 - Cell 2
63Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 62 - Cell 2
64Laurent Didier (Lux) RadioShack LeopardRow 63 - Cell 2
65Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 64 - Cell 2
66Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
67Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 66 - Cell 2
68Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) KatushaRow 67 - Cell 2
69Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 68 - Cell 2
70Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 69 - Cell 2
71Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 70 - Cell 2
72Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 71 - Cell 2
73Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 72 - Cell 2
74Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 73 - Cell 2
75Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 74 - Cell 2
76Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
77Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 76 - Cell 2
78Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 77 - Cell 2
79Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 78 - Cell 2
80Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 79 - Cell 2
81Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 80 - Cell 2
82Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 81 - Cell 2
83Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 82 - Cell 2
84Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack LeopardRow 83 - Cell 2
85Maxime Mederel (Fra) SojasunRow 84 - Cell 2
86Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 85 - Cell 2
87Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 86 - Cell 2
88Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 87 - Cell 2
89Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 88 - Cell 2
90Eduard Vorganov (Rus) KatushaRow 89 - Cell 2
91Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack LeopardRow 90 - Cell 2
92Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 91 - Cell 2
93Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 92 - Cell 2
94Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack LeopardRow 93 - Cell 2
95Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 94 - Cell 2
96Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 95 - Cell 2
97Brian Vandborg (Den) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 96 - Cell 2
98Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 97 - Cell 2
99Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
100Boy van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 99 - Cell 2
101Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 100 - Cell 2
102Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 101 - Cell 2
103Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 102 - Cell 2
104Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 103 - Cell 2
105Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 104 - Cell 2
106Gatis Smukulis (Lat) KatushaRow 105 - Cell 2
107Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 106 - Cell 2
108Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 107 - Cell 2
109Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
110Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 109 - Cell 2
111Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Lampre-MeridaRow 110 - Cell 2
112Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) SojasunRow 111 - Cell 2
113Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) RadioShack LeopardRow 112 - Cell 2
114Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto BelisolRow 113 - Cell 2
115Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ.frRow 114 - Cell 2
116Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 115 - Cell 2
117Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 116 - Cell 2
118Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 117 - Cell 2
119John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 118 - Cell 2
120Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
121Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 120 - Cell 2
122Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team EuropcarRow 121 - Cell 2
123John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 122 - Cell 2
124Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 123 - Cell 2
125Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack LeopardRow 124 - Cell 2
126Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) KatushaRow 125 - Cell 2
127Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) KatushaRow 126 - Cell 2
128Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 127 - Cell 2
129Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-MeridaRow 128 - Cell 2
130Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 129 - Cell 2
131Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 130 - Cell 2
132Alexander Kristoff (Nor) KatushaRow 131 - Cell 2
133Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 132 - Cell 2
134Brice Feillu (Fra) SojasunRow 133 - Cell 2
135Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 134 - Cell 2
136Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 135 - Cell 2
137Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.frRow 136 - Cell 2
138Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) SojasunRow 137 - Cell 2
139Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.frRow 138 - Cell 2
140William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.frRow 139 - Cell 2
141Anthony Delaplace (Fra) SojasunRow 140 - Cell 2
142Julien El Fares (Fra) SojasunRow 141 - Cell 2
143Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 142 - Cell 2
144Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 143 - Cell 2
145Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 144 - Cell 2
146Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 145 - Cell 2
147Jerome Coppel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 146 - Cell 2
148David Veilleux (Can) Team EuropcarRow 147 - Cell 2
149Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.frRow 148 - Cell 2
150Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 149 - Cell 2
151Cyril Lemoine (Fra) SojasunRow 150 - Cell 2
152Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
153Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 152 - Cell 2
154Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 153 - Cell 2
155Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 154 - Cell 2
156Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 155 - Cell 2
157Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto BelisolRow 156 - Cell 2
158Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 157 - Cell 2
159Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 158 - Cell 2
160Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 159 - Cell 2
161