Ivanov wins stage 14 as Nocentini clings on to yellow
Serguei Ivanov used all his experience to out-wit a break away group of 11 riders and take stage 14 of the Tour de France in to Besançon today.
The Russian national champion hit his rivals with a perfectly timed attack from just outside the 10km to go banner and soloed to the finish line. His lead quickly went up to 30 seconds as the tired legs he'd left behind struggled to match his time trialling skills.
Others gave chase, but as Hayden Roulsten and Albert Timmer bobbed and weaved their way in pursuit, Ivanov looked rock solid. The Russian moved expertly from one side of the road to the other, using the bends and contours to hide himself from those behind. It was a perfect piece of riding.
A break away group that know's it won't get caught by the peloton will often play cat and mouse for several kilometres before a rider gets away, but such was the timing of Ivanov's move that the Russian was only the second rider to attack.
Nicolas Roche had tried on a small rise with 11km to go, but made little impression. he strung out the group, but when it slowed Ivanov saw his chance. "I wasn't feeling the strongest today, and I knew that I could only win if i chose a good moment [to attack]," Ivanov said afterwards. "It was just feeling, and the experience of many, many years as a professional."
Ivanov's escape was helped by the fact that two men in the break weren't as interested in the stage as they could have been. George Hincapie was the virtual leader on the road once the break had a lead of over 5-25 minutes on the peloton, while Françiase des Jeux's Christophe le Mevel also stood to move in to the top ten on General Classification.
With the lead standing at over six minutes as the leaders fought out the final kilometres, there was a very real chance that Hincapie could take over the race lead just one day before the Tour hit the Alps.
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It made for an intriguing finale as Ag2r chased desperately, helped only by Garmin-Slipstream, with Hincapie's Columbia HTC team mates just behind. Eventually they had to come to the front to lead out Cavendish, but tried to do so at a slower speed so as not to eat in to Hincapies time.
In the end the bunch just made it, and Nocentini held on to the leaders' yellow jersey by just five seconds from Hincapie who now lies in second spot. Le Mevel also moved in to the top ten, he is now in fifth spot, 43 seconds behind Nocentini.
Cavendish relegated for moving off his line
Unfortunately for Columbia not only did they miss out on the yellow jersey but Cavendish slipped further behind in the green jersey competition after being relegated to 154 position on today's stage.
The British sprinter won the bunch sprint for 13th place just ahead of Hushovd who currently holds the points jersey, but was later disqualified for blocking Hushovd.
Although Cavendish did visibly move to his right in the final metres, he was expecting Hushovd to come up on his left shoulder, which is the one he was looking over.
As a result of the relegation, Hushovd now holds an 18 point lead in the points jersey competition with only one sprint stage left.
While Hushovd is battling it out with Cavendish, some of the other sprinters seem to have changed their tactics in their bid for a stage win. Both Daniele Bennati and Gerald Ciolek got in the break today, but even then their bid was unsuccessful.
As the group splintered in the final kilometre, chasing Nicolas Roche, the pair finished an unconvincing ninth and tenth.
Death of spectator casts shadow over the stage
Sadly the stage was marred by the death of a 61-year-old female spectator. The lady was killed and two other people were injured when they were hit by a police motorcycle while watching Saturday's stage.
The woman was hit as she crossed the road in the town of Wittelsheim, around 25 miles into the stage. The motorcycle then slid and collided with two more people who were injured, one of whom has a broken leg.
RESULT
Stage 14: Colmar - Besançon 199km
1. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Katusha 4-37-46
2. Nicolas Roache (Ire) Ag2r La Mondiale at 16 seconds
3. Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team
4. Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin-Slipstream
5. Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis
6. Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre
7. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux
8. George Hincapie (USA) Columbia HTC
9. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
10. Gerals Ciolek (Ger) Milram
British
70. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin-Slipstream at 5-36
116. David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Slipstream
131. Charly Wegelius (GBr) Silence-Lotto at same time
Overall classification after stage 14
1. Rinalado Nocentini (Ita) Ag2r La Mondiale 58-13-52
2. George Hincapie (USA) Columbia HTC at 5 seconds
3. Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana at 6 seconds
4. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana at 8 seconds
5. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux at 43 seconds
6. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin-Slipstream at 46 seconds
7. Andréas Klöden (Ger) Astana at 54 seconds
8. Tony Martin (Ger) Columbia HTC at 1 minute
9. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream at 1-24 minutes
10. Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank at 1-49 minutes
Serguei Ivanov takes the stage after soloing to the line from the day's break
Stage 14 scenery
TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 LINKS
Tour de France 2009 - the hub: Index to reports, photos, previews and more.
STAGE REPORTS
Stage 13: Haussler braves rain for victory in Colmar
Stage 12: Sorensen wins in Vittel as Cavendish goes for green
Stage 11: Cavendish takes fourth win to equal Hoban's record
Stage 10: Cavendish spoils Bastille Day party to take third stage win
Stage nine: Third French win as contenders content with ceasefire
stage eight: Sanchez wins from break as Tour favourites cancel each other out
Stage seven: Feillu wins at Arcalis, Nocentini takes yellow, Contador leap-frogs Lance
Stage six: Millar's brave bid denied on Barcelona hill as Hushovd triumphs
Stage five: Voeckler survives chase to win his first Tour stage
Stage four: Astana on top but Armstrong misses yellow by hundredths of a second
Live Tour de France stage four TTT coverage
Stage three: Cavendish wins second stage as Armstrong distances Contador
Stage two: Cavendish takes first sprint
Stage one: Cancellara wins opening time trial
LATEST TOUR NEWS
Tour de France 2009 News Index>>
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Analysis: Why Cavendish is one of the modern greats
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Tour analysis: Why the go slow did cycling no favours on Bastille Day
Cavendish's odd stage 10 finish celebration explained
No radios today, but experiment could be a one-off
Tour audio: Mark Cavendish after stage 10
Contador brushes aside talk of Armstrong conflict
Cavendish odds-on favourite for Bastille Day victory
The Tour de France Comment: Monday, July 13
How the favourites are doing (first rest day)
Wiggins stays with leaders at Tour
Armstrong: 'If Contador wins, I'll be second'
Wiggins 'on cloud nine' at Tour de France
Armstrong says Contador attack wasn't in the plan
Cavendish survives the first Tour mountain stage with ease
Wiggins, the Tour de France overall contender, has arrived
EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS
Garmin-Slipstream's HQ before the Tour
David Zabriskie's time trial bike
Mark Cavendish on the Tour's team time trial
David Brailsford interview
Mark Cavendish on the Tour
Jonathan Vaughters on Bradley Wiggins' chances
TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 PHOTOS
Stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 11 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage 10 photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage nine photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage seven photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage four TTT photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage one photo gallery by Andy Jones
Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson
Team presentation by Andy Jones
Team presentation by Graham Watson
TOUR GUIDE
Tour de France 2009 - the hub
Tour de France 2009: Who's riding
Tour de France 2009: Team guide
About the Tour de France
FEATURES
Tour de France 2009: Who will win?
Tour de France 2009 on TV: Eurosport and ITV4 schedules
Big names missing from 2009 Tour de France
Tour de France anti-doping measures explained
Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish
Cycling Weekly's rider profiles
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