Tour de France: Sanchez offers Rabobank first win

Luis Leon Sanchez handed Rabobank their first win in this year’s tour de france after claiming top honours in stage 14.

The day’s 191 kilometre ride took the peloton from Limoux to Foix and gave the riders their first taste of the Pyreness.

The stage lived up to its billing as one for attack as early on a large group took their chance.

After a few gruelling climbs the escapees were split leaving Sanchez and four others to carry on to the line.

Frenchman Sandy Casar led the front runners up the final leg-burning climb of the day but it didn’t go so smoothly for many of the main bunch at the summit of the Mur de Péguère.

Defending champion Cadel Evans of Australia was one of some thirty riders to suffer a puncture at the top.

All falling foul of a bad prank by a spectator who littered the road with nails but good sportsmanship and teamwork were to prevail.

With just over 11 kilometres to go, Sanchez attacked his fellow escapees and held on to hand his Rabobank team their first stage win this edition.

Points classification leader Peter Sagen of Slovakia took second while Casar held on for third.

Wiggins meanwhile kept his rivals in check to retain the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

He holds a two minute and 5 second advantage over Sky team-mate and fellow Brit Chris Froome ahead of Monday’s rolling 158.5km stage 15 that continues along the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Copyright © 2013 euronews