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TOUR DE FRANCE

Tour de France stage 19: Lithuanian makes history

Stage 19: For the first time in Tour de France history a Lithuanian rider on Friday won a stage of the legendary bike race. Numerous crashes and a disjointed peloton contributed to an unusual day on the course.

Published: 25 July 2014 18:43 CEST
Tour de France stage 19: Lithuanian makes history
A Lithuanian rider, for the first time ever, won a stage of the Tour de France. Photo: Jeff Pachoud/AFP

Ramunas Navardauskas made history on Friday as he became the first Lithuanian to win a stage of the Tour de France.

The 26-year-old, who won a stage of the Giro d'Italia last year, stole a march on a disjointed peloton to escape to victory on the 208.5km 19th stage from Maubourguet to Bergerac.

The Garmin rider made his attack 13km from home on a short fourth category climb, passing his teammate and loan escapee Tom-Jelte Slagter before holding on in driving rain all the way to the finish.

German John Degenkolb won the sprint for second seven seconds back with two-time stage winner Alexander Kristoff of Norway third.

In what was already a disorganized chase, several riders in the peloton crashed on a right hand bend in the run-in.

One of those was sprinter's green jersey holder Peter Sagan, who was finally hoping for a stage victory following four second placed finishes at this Tour.

But when he went down, leaving his Cannondale team without a purpose, the chase stalled and Navardauskas was able to easily hold on for victory.

Another who went down in the spill was Frenchman Romain Bardet, placed fifth overall. As the crash happened in the final 3km, though, he lost no time.

Neither did race leader Vincenzo Nibali, who was held up by the crash, ashe maintained his 7min 10sec lead over second placed Frenchman Thibaut Pinot ahead of Saturday's 54km individual time-trial.

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SPORT

Inaugural Women’s Tour de France to start at Eiffel Tower

The route for the inaugural women's Tour de France was unveiled on Thursday with eight stages, embarking from the Eiffel Tower on July 24th next year.

Published: 14 October 2021 16:04 CEST
French cyclist Marion Rousse delivers a speech next to Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme during the presentation of the first edition of the Women's Tour de France cycling race.
French cyclist Marion Rousse delivers a speech next to Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme during the presentation of the first edition of the Women's Tour de France cycling race. Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP.

The first complete edition of the women’s version of cycling’s iconic race starts on the day the 109th edition of the men’s Tour ends.

After a route that winds through northern France, the race culminates in the Planche des Belles Filles climb in the Vosges mountains.

Danish cyclist Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig said she was over the moon to be taking part.

“I want it to be July now so we can get stared,” she said actually jumping up and down.

“The Tour de France is a reference and when you say you are a cyclist people ask about that. Now I can say I race the Tour de France,” she said after the presentation.

MAP: Details of 2022 Tour de France (and Denmark) revealed

Race director Marion Rousse, a former French cycling champion and now a TV commentator, told AFP it would be a varied course that would maintain suspense over the eight days.

“It is coherent in a sporting sense, and we wanted to start from Paris,” she said of the 1,029km run.

“With only eight stages we couldn’t go down to the Alps or the Pyrenees, the transfers would be too long.

“The stages obviously are shorter for the women than for the men’s races. The men can go 225 kilometres. For the women the longest race on our roster is 175km and we even needed special dispensation for that,” she said. “But it’s a course I love.”

Christian Prudhomme, the president of the Tour de France organisers, was equally enthusiastic.

“The fact it sets off from Paris the day the men’s race ends gives the new race a boost because it sets the media up to follow it more easily.

“It also means that with the Tour de France starting on July 1st and the women’s race ending on the 31st, there will be cycling on television every day of July.”

The men’s race is broadcast in around 190 countries.

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