Tour de France 2018 Stage 14: Omar Fraile wins thrilling finale, Geraint Thomas still leader

The Tour de France's 14th stage runs through the hilly Drôme department to a punchy finale in Mende. Jasper Stuyven goes solo with 35 kilometres out, but Omar Fraile overhauls the Belgian on a steep climb just before the finish. Alaphilippe finishes in second, Stuyven in third. Behind them the GC battle roars with Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome, Tom Dumoulin and Primoz Roglic putting time into their rivals. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 14th stage 2018 Tour de France

1. Omar Fraile (spa)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.06
3. Jasper Stuyven (bel) s.t.
4. Peter Sagan (svk) + 0.12
5. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 0.17
6. Simon Geschke (ger) + 0.19
7. Nicolas Edet (fra) s.t.
8. Lilian Calmejane (fra) + 0.23
9. Daryl Impey (rsa) + 0.30
10. Thomas De Gendt (bel) + 0.37

29. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 18.01
30. Chris Froome (gbr) + 18.09
31. Tom Dumoulin (nld) s.t.
32. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
33. Nairo Quintana (col) + 18.19
34. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 18.23
36. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
37. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) + 18.33
38. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 18.38
40. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
41. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.
50. Daniel Martin (irl) + 19.52

GC after the 14th stage
1. Geraint Thomas (gbr)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 1.39
3. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 1.50
4. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 2.38
5. Romain Bardet (fra) + 3.21
6. Mikel Landa (spa) + 3.42
7. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 3.57
8. Nairo Quintana (col) + 4.23
9. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 6.14
10. Daniel Martin (irl) + 6.54

11. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 9.36
12. Bob Jungels (lux) + 9.53
13. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) + 10.01
14. Mikel Nieve (spa) + 16.22

Race report
High pace after the start and the peloton splits in the crosswinds. For a moment Bardet, Roglic and Landa are in trouble, but they close the gap. Meanwhile, Thomas De Gendt, Julian Alaphilippe Omar Fraile, Lilian Calmejane, Andrey Amador, Antony Perez and Jérôme Cousin push hard and distance the first peloton. A 25-man group tracks them down.

All riders at the front: Peter Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet, Julian Alaphilippe, Philippe Gilbert, Gorka Izagirre, Yves Lampaert, Daniel Martínez, Pierre Rolland, Simon Geschke, Kristjian Koren, Michael Hepburn, Daryl Impey, Andrey Amador, Damiano Caruso, Stefan Küng, Maciej Bodnar, Omar Fraile, Tom-Jelte Slagter, Julien Vermote, Thomas De Gendt, Lilian Calmejane, Jérôme Cousin, Thomas Boudat, Sylvain Chavanel, Damien Gaudin, Michael Gogl, Jasper Stuyven, Christophe Laporte, Nicolas Edet, Anthony Perez, Anthony Turgis and Thomas Degand.

Izagirre attacks 3.3 kms before the top of the Col de la Croix de Berthel. He is first over the crest and on descent Tom-Jelte Slagter and Jasper Stuyven rejoin him. By now the peloton is more than 10 minutes behind.

Stuyven heads out alone 35 kms before the finish. Slagter and Izagirre are rejoined by De Gendt and Calmejane before the remaining eleven chasers hook on also. On the flat before the steep Col de la Croix Neuve Stuyven widens the gap to almost 2 minutes.

On the climb De Gendt and Fraile start chasing before the Spaniard goes alone. Alaphilippe kicks in the last km of the climb.

Fraile overhauls Stuyven with 600 metres to climb and is the first rider over the top. Alaphilippe and Stuyven are next, but the can’t close the gap. Fraile solos to victory, while Alaphilippe pips Stuyven in the sprint for second place.

The peloton hits the Col de la Croix Neuve 20 minutes after the race winner. Primoz Roglic is the first to kick and he slowly distances the other GC contenders, while Tom Dumoulin is struggling at the back. But the Dutchman bounces back and… strikes. Only Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Nairo Quintana are able to follow before the Sky-pilots counter-attack. Dumoulin claws his way back, Quintana is gone.

The top 3 doesn’t close the gap to Roglic though, who crosses the line 8 seconds before them, but they put time into their other rivals. Thomas retains the maillot jaune, still 1.19 ahead of Froome and 1.50 ahead of Dumoulin.