Tour De France 2016: Saturday's Stage 14 Live Stream Schedule, TV Info and Route
Chris Froome hopes to extend his lead in the general classifications at Stage 14 of the Tour de France on Saturday after a lightning time trial saw the Brit take a solid grip of the yellow jersey.
The reigning champion tackles the 208-kilometre Stage 14 from Montelimar to Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux on Saturday with a one-minute 47-second lead on the field.
However, an eventful Stage 12, where Froome crashed at the end of the race, proved the unpredictable nature of the Tour can claim any rider's hopes and dreams.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Bauke Mollema is the Brit's nearest rival at present, but it is questionable whether the Trek rider can keep up with Froome in current form.
Here is how you can catch all the action:
Date: Saturday, July 16
Start Time: 11:10 a.m. BST, 6:10 a.m ET
Route: Montelimar—Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux
Stage Profile: Flat
Live Stream: ITV Hub (UK), NBC Sports App (U.S.)
TV Info: ITV 4 (UK), NBC Sports Gold (U.S.)
For the full Tour de France schedule, visit CyclingNews.com.
Stage 14 Preview
The Tour's official Twitter account provided a breakdown of Stage 13's time trial, as Froome finished second:
The flatter conditions of the latest stage offer the GC contenders a chance to improve their positions during a classic transitional race.
Stage 14 is the final flat run before the procession to Paris, and Froome and Team Sky will work hard in tandem to break the hearts of their opposition.
After 20 kilometres of racing, the category four Cote de Puy-St-Martin climb offers early resistance, but the descent will see the field obtain a strong early pace.
The GC has taken shape and Froome has taken control; the yellow jersey will be his in Paris if he avoids another crash, and another successful Tour will be under his belt.
The Cote du Four-a-Chaux and the Cote de Hauterives will hold the field up during the middle of the stage, but Froome's all-round skill set will not be affected.
The stars of the sport currently populate the top GC places, as provided by the Inner Ring:
The sprinters will fancy their chances on Saturday as the terrain dictates a fast finish, but Froome's positioning and kick might see him obliterate the field in the final minutes of the battle.
However, Team Sky have maintained a conservative approach during the current Tour, opting to protect their lead rider rather than maintain a dangerous duel with another team.
It might mean the GC contingent opt to hang back and wait until the following stage to fully challenge the yellow jersey holder.
The mountains lie ahead and the true battle will commence there. However, Froome will know a strong time in the race to the bird park at Villars-les-Dombes offers opportunities for the brave. Stage 14 is a long race, and the lack of mountains will test each team's tactics.
Journalist Michael Hutchinson believes the leader firmly has the edge now:
After the potential disaster of Stage 12, the British kingpin proved how much he wants the title again as he finished ahead of the primary GC contenders on Friday.
Froome is eager and full of energy in the saddle and will take his place amongst the greats of the sport if he succeeds once more.
The rider lived in the shadow of Sir Bradley Wiggins for much of his career, but he has emerged as one of cycling's greatest-ever competitors and one of his nation's most prolific sportsmen.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
