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STAGE 14: FREIRE SPRINTS TO STAGE 14 VICTORY!
AFP & Road Bike Action
July 19, 2008
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Spain's Oscar Freire, riding for Rabobank, sprinted to victory in the 14th stage of the Tour de France, a 194km ride from Nimes to Dignes Les Bains. Freire, the green jersey points leader, won the sprint for the line ahead of Colombian Leonardo Duque and Erik Zabel.
With the Tour about to move into the Alps on Sunday, Stage 14 saw several breakaways form early including a 21 rider group that caused the Silence Lotto and Cofidis teams to chase early. Four riders -Spain's Ivan Gutierrez, Dutchman Bram Tankink and French pair William Bonnet and Sandy Casar, - broke free but were soon brought back after opening up a six-minute lead. Gutierrez then made another effort 28km from the line only to be caught with 11km remaining.
Cofidis rider Sylvain Chavanel tried his luck only to be caught inside the final 2km. In the final sprint Romain Feillu tried to take a win for France, but three-time world champion Freire proved too strong and took his fourth career stage win.
Sprinter Mark Cavendish, having won a British record four stages, including back to back wins on Thursday and Friday, had to settle for a pack finish more than 3min down on the leading group.
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