Tour De France 2011 Stage 14: Vanendert Claims Victory, Voeckler Stays in Yellow

Belgian Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharmo-Lotto) took a stage win ahead of Spaniard Samuel Sanchez (Euskatel) as the men fighting it out for the yellow jersey finished almost a minute behind. 

Vanendert, who will take the lead in the Mountain classification, timed his attack to perfection taking advantage of the fact those riders looking to take the yellow jersey seemed reluctant to attack and show their hand.

A large breakaway group of twenty riders formed early in the day, and after they had cleared the first climb of the day and swept up all the points at the intermediate sprint they were joined by four more to become 24 riders as they headed up the Col de la Core, the day’s first major test.

That group did not last too long however, as it broke down into several smaller groups, with Riblon (AG2R), Casar (FDJ) and El Fares (Confidis) leading up the Category 1 Col d’Agnes before Sebastian Chavanel (Quick Step) reached the summit first. 

Leopard-Treck took control of the peloton and increased the pace as the breakaway riders seemed unorganised and unable to arrange any meaningful break as many were swallowed by the peloton and the leaders had their gap reduced to under two and a half minutes at the foot of the Plateau de Beille. 

The leaders were caught and passed by the thinning peloton leaving Sandy Caser (FDJ) out alone at the front with a chasing pack of the main contenders for the yellow jersey along with current holder Thomas Voeckler (Europcar). 

In the final kilometres, after the Scheck brothers (Leopard-Trek)  and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) had attacked it was Belgian Jelle Vanendert who sprung off the group as they caught Caser to take a lead in an ultimately successful bid for stage victory. 

Samuel Sanchez (Euskatel) then broke away from the race favourites to chase after Vanendert in search of a second stage win as the Schlecks, Contador (Saxo Bank), Voeckler, Evans (BMC) and Basso seemed happy to let them go and stay together. 

Attempted attacks from Basso and Voeckler dropped Frank Schleck with just under 2km to go, although the Luxembourg national champion managed to hang on and retain second place in the general classification as Voeckler showed his determination and power to stick with the leaders and retain the yellow once again. 

The Frenchman announced his own surprise at retaining the Yellow Jersey through the mountains, but his performance over the past three days have seen him keep pace  with those expected to take the jersey and see him emerge as a dark-horse for victory. 

The finale of the stage proved something of a disappointment to many fans, who had hoped to see the main contenders battle it out and make a break for the yellow jersey during the last Pyranean stage, with Andy Schleck looking the most comfortable still leaving it very late to make a decisive attack gaining only two seconds on his rivals.

Despite some moments where a big attack looked imminent it never materialised allowing domestique Vanendert to take victory as the tour now heads back onto flat ground for a day before moving along the South of France to the Alps, where it appears the main contenders will battle it out over the steeper Alpine climbs.