Stage 14: Grenoble to Risoul, 177km. High Mountains.
I first really noticed Rafal Majka at this years Giro when the young 24 year old Polish rider burst onto the scene and finished in sixth overall with some big displays in the mountains, though in hindsight, his seventh place the year before should have been better remembered. And when I seen that, unlike any of those that finished around him in this years Giro with the exception of Pierre Rolland, that he would be lining up for the Tour de France, I sensed he was selected exclusively to help Contador where he could in the mountains. That was proven to be the case when he lost a heap of time over the first week of the race, saving what energy he could, but when his team leader crashed out on stage 10 and Saxo-Tinkoff went into Tour salvage mode, his objectives changed to winning them a stage.
Yesterday he made that bid for glory only for Vincenzo Nibali to swallow himself and fellow escapee, Leopold Konig, up in the closing kilometres to the summit at Chamrousse. Today he tried again. It could have been easy to wait until the Pyaranees, but he must have felt good. He got in the days early break and made his move on the final summit finish.
When news crackled over his radio that Nibali had once again dropped his rivals -- all except Péraud, that is -- and was on the chase, Majka must have feared the worst. But Nibali's sudden surge aside, the time didn't fall quickly enough and Majka was able to hold on to win solo -- his first Tour de France stage win -- in superb style at Risoul.
Not only has Majka shown himself to be a star of the future, one who if sent to target the Tour could well finish in the top five one day, or better, but he has gotten a little pride back for his team after the loss of Contador.
Further down the road a similar scene to the day before was playing out: Nibali up the road and the two young Frenchmen, Bardet and Pinot chasing, desperate to become the first Frenchman since Richard Virenque in 1997 to finish on the podium of their home race. Unlike yesterday however, they were together coming up to the line and the sprint to finish a mere fourth on the stage showed all the signs of trying to gain the psycological edge. Pinot took it but remains 16 seconds behind Bardet for third place overall.
Nibali may be wrapping up the victory in this Tour but the scramble for the podium is going to be fascinating in the coming week. Alejandro Valverde showed his first signs of serious weakness on the stage when he cracked and lost 34 seconds to the two young Frenchmen and one minute to Nibali, though he did just enough to keep his second place over Bardet by 13 seconds. Still, he'll need to recover quickly or the two Frenchmen won't have to worry about one of them being the first Frenchman onto the podium for 17 years.
So 29 seconds separates second, third and fourth with Tejay Van Garderen a further 43 seconds back in fifth and looking stronger by the day. Don't count the American out. He's been steady throughout these stages and he has kept himself in the mix. Given the bad day we seen from Richie Porte and then, less dramatically so, Valverde today, it's clear that anyone could have a bad one in the high mountains and it could well be about who limits their losses rather than who gains what on the rest that truly dictates who follows Nibali onto the podium in Paris.
And all that is, of course, assuming Nibali himself doesn't have a bad day. Stranger things have happened in this sport and it is why the rest must not ignore him while they look at one another entirely. It is also why Nibali is making his hay now while the proverbial sun of good form shines upon him.
Result:
1. Majka (TIN) in 5h 8'27"
2. Nibali (AST) +24"
3. Péraud (ALM) +26"
4. Pinot (FDJ) +50"
5. Bardet (ALM) s.t.
6. Van Garderen (BMC) +54"
Others:
10. Valverde (MOV) +1'24"
27. Porte (SKY) +5'16"
Overall:
1. Nibali (AST) in 61h 52'54"
2. Valverde (MOV) +4'37"
3. Bardet (ALM) +4'50"
4. Pinot (FDJ) +5'06"
5. Van Garderen (BMC) +5'49"
6. Péraud (ALM) +6'08"
