Tour de France: Cavendish wins stage 14 in Villars-les-Dombes

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Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) swooped to his fourth stage win of this year's Tour de France with a trademark sprint ahead of Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) on stage 14 to Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux.

The Dimension Data rider positioned himself on Marcel Kittel's (Etixx-QuickStep) rear wheel inside the closing stages and the German was the first to open his sprint with 250 metres remaining. As has been the case almost throughout the race, Cavendish had the measure of the German, coming around the left-hand side and holding on for the win. Kittel raised his arms in protest, appearing to be unhappy with Cavendish's racing line.

Chris Froome (Team Sky) had a relatively easy day in the saddle and crossed the line with the rest of the main field. He retained his overall lead with Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) still rounding out the top three.

The day, however, belonged to Cavendish who has now brought his tally to four stage wins in this year's race and 30 in what has already been a glittering career. Back to his best, he also made use of some excellent tactics on display from his squad.

The Dimension Data team worked hard to help bring back an early break that included Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac), secondly Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) and Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon 18) and then kept their sprinter safe and sound in the hectic finale.

Coming into the final few kilometres it was all about how teams rode in the wind. With 3km to go the race changed direction with the wind coming from the side to a block headwind.

Bernard Eisel and Serge Pauwels, Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg and Edvald Boasson Hagen all played their parts as Katusha and Lotto tried to measure their approach as the peloton hurtled towards the line. It was Etixx-QuickStep that took the initiative in the wind but Kittel was left with just one man, Fabio Sabatini, with 300 metres to go, and when the Italian peeled off the German was forced to open his sprint.

Behind him sat Cavendish, Kristoff, Sagan and Degenkolb, and Kittel was unable to hold back the tide.

Cavendish was the first to pounce and even though the Dimension Data rider came close to Kittel, he still left the Etixx-QuickStep rider with enough room on the right. Kittel simply didn't have the legs to react.

More on this story:

• Tour de France stage 14 - Finish line quotes
• Tour de France: Nairo Quintana defends holding onto motorbike in Ventoux chaos
• Tour de France: Cavendish wins stage 14 in Villars-les-Dombes
• Tour de France stage 14 highlights - Video
   

Tour de France stage 14 highlights video

How it unfolded

After several days of high drama at the Tour de France the peloton were deserving of a calmer day as the race travelled north through the Rhône valley, through the Drôme and Isère départements and towards a finish in Ain.

After the bunch held a respectful minute's silence for the victims of Thursday's terror attack in Nice they rolled out under blue skies but an understandably sombre atmosphere. The Tour, a proud and defiant part of the French way of life, would go on.

The four-man moved formed early with Jeremy Roy off the leash after his captain Thibaut Pinot abandoned on Friday. He clipped off the front with Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac), secondly Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) and Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon 18) and the group set about establishing a lead that peaked at just over four minutes.

With fine weather and a headwind for most of the stage a breakaway always stood little chance of success, especially with so many of the high calibre sprinters both still in the race and some without a win to their name.

The peloton kept the foursome within reach throughout the day and with 22km to go the gap had been brought back to just a few seconds. It was too soon, however, and the gap was allowed to stretch out once more, with Roy insistent on fighting for every second.

Back in the bunch Matti Breschel was forced to abandon after sustaining a deep cut to his leg, and Mathias Frank (IAM Cycling) threw in the towel after it was clear from yesterday's time trial that his top-10 aspirations were over.

Howes was the first to be shed from the break as they crested a small unclassified rise before the same fate fell to Benedetti. 

Katusha, BMC and Cofidis - who won here back in 2015 at the Dauphine – moved up to the front before the sight of Sagan drifting on the front suggested that the pace wasn't quite as high as it would be once the sprinters' teams really threw the hammer down.

They caught the forlorn Roy and Elmiger with Etixx-QuickStep hitting the front and switching the bunch from left to right as the road changed direction. Lotto Soudal tried to leave it late but their lines were fluffed as the line approached. Kittel was a sitting duck with 250 metres to go and Cavendish laid another gold egg. The finish was in a bird park, after all.

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