QUILLAN, France (Reuters) – Dutchman Bauke Mollema won the 14th stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, a 183.7-km ride from Carcassonne to Quillan in the southwest, for his second career victory in 11 appearances at cycling’s most popular race.
Austrian Patrick Konrad took second place, with Colombia’s Sergio Higuita coming home third, both one minute four seconds off the pace.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey at the end of a hot day in southwestern France, on roads peppered with short but brutal climbs.
“I knew I had a good chance to make it to the end, I paced myself and when I saw I had a minute at the top of the last climb I knew it was done,” said Mollema.
There was one major change in the general classification, however, as France’s Guillaume Martin jumped from ninth to second after taking part in the day’s breakaway.
Pogacar leads Martin by 4:04, with Colombian Rigoberto Uran in third place, 5:18 behind the defending champion.
Sunday’s 15th stage is a lung-busting 191.3-km mountain trek to Andorra as the race reaches its highest point at the Port d’Envalira, 2,408 metres above sea level.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
