Australian Michael Rogers eventually earned his first stage win in his 10th Tour de France.
Great form … Michael Rogers of Australia and the Tinkoff-Saxo team celebrates winning stage 16 of the 2014 Tour de France, a 238km stage between Carcassonne and Bagneres-de-Luchon. Photo: Bryn Lennon / Getty Images
The three-time world time trial champion, riding for Tinkoff-Saxo, came home on his own at the end of the mammoth 237.5km 16th stage from Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon.
The wily veteran, who won two stages at the Giro d’Italia in May after coming back from a temporary doping suspension, outfoxed four escape companions to finish nine seconds ahead of Frenchman Thomas Voeckler, who took second in a sprint finish ahead of Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus.
Further behind, Italian Vincenzo Nibali held onto his race leader’s yellow jersey, 4min 37sec ahead of Alejandro Valverde, as he came home in a small and elite group of his closest rivals.
One of the big losers on the day, though, was 23-year-old Frenchman Romain Bardet, who was dropped on the hors category Port de Bales climb and lost 1:50 to his rivals for a podium finish.
That promoted 24-year-old compatriot Thibaut Pinot from fourth to third with veteran 37-year-old Jean Christophe Peraud, another Frenchman, moving up from sixth to fourth.
Bardet dropped from third to fifth and is now 6:40 off Nibali but, more importantly having started the day 16sec ahead of Pinot, he now trails his compatriot by 1:36. – AFP / Reuters
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