Vincenzo Nibali wins stage 10
After his biggest rival, Alberto Contador, crashes and leaves the race, Nibali wins with a time of 4:27:26. The course starts in Mulhouse and finishes in La Planche des Belles Filles, and is 100.351 miles (161 km). With this win, Nibali regains the overall lead from France’s Tony Gallopin.
Tony Martin wins stage nine
The stage nine route spans from Gérardmer to Mulhouse, 105.6 miles (170 km). Martin (OPQS) wins the stage with a time of 4:09:34. Fabian Cancellara (Trek) came in second place just ahead of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC).
Kadri wins stage eight
Blel Kadri wins stage eight today, and he is the first Frenchman to win a stage in this year’s race. Alberto Cantador finishes two minutes behind Kadri to take second place. Stage eight starts in Tomblaine and finishes in Gérardmer La Mauselaine, and is just over 100 miles in length (161 km).
It’s an amazing feeling that I have right now. I’m delighted for myself and for the team as well. The main aim for the team was to win a stage — we’ve done that now — and to get the polka-dot jersey too, that’s important as well.
Matteo Trentin wins stage seven
In a race that was too close to call, freeze frame photographs show Matteo edged out Peter Sagan to win stage seven. The course begins in Epernay and ends in Nancy and is 145.7 miles (234.5 km) long. Matteo says:
This win is for Cav and for the team. It’s beautiful because it came after six days of bad luck.
Greipel wins stage six
The stage six course spans from Arras to Reims and is 121.167 miles (195 km) long. Due Kittel’s mechanical issues, German rider Andre Greipel was put in a good position and was able to pull ahead in the final mile and win the race.
Lars Boom wins fifth stage
After defending champion, Chris Froome, crashes twice during stage five and takes himself out of the race, Boom wins. With just six kilometers remaining, Boom pulled out of the breakaway group. Fuglsang second came in second, and Vincenzo Nibali came in third. The course was difficult due to cobble stoned areas and rain.
Kittel wins stage four
Kittel wins stage four of the race and becomes the first rider in close to 40 years to win three of the four stages. Kittel won by a wheel’s length barely beating Norway’s Alexander Kristoff. Kittel acknowledges the race is easier for him with Cavendish gone. Kittel says:
It’s never easy … (I was) lucky just enough at the finish line.
Kittel wins stage three
Marcel Kittel wins stage three of the race. The course for this stage, 96 miles long (155km), spanned from Cambridge to London, and 197 riders participated in this stage. The race now moves to France for stage four.
Cavendish out of race
As a result of the crash on the first day of the race, Cavendish dislocated his shoulder and is out of the race. In a Twitter post, his team, Omega Pharma-QuickStep (OPQS), confirms that the MRI scan shows torn ligaments and an AC-joint dislocation. Cavedish says:
Normally I bounce well but when I was on the floor I knew something was wrong. My shoulder was sticking out the way it shouldn’t. I had some optimism that it would just be swelling but this morning was worse. I’m gutted.
Nibali wins second stage
Nibali of Italy wins the second stage of the race through the Yorkshire countryside and receives his first yellow jersey.
It was a fabulous day for me, I led a good action. It was difficult. There was a lot of headwind … I had the luck to attack at the right moment.
Race starts in Yorkshire
Thousands of spectators line the streets in Yorkshire, England to watch the start of the race. 198 riders will participate in this year’s race. The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, along with Prince Harry, attend. Kate and some of the lead riders cut the ribbon, signifying the start of the race. Yorkshire is hosting the first stage of the 101st Tour de France, and the cyclists will wind through many towns and villages along the 190km route. The race will go through the Yorkshire Dales to Harrogate on July 5, 2014, and then from York to Sheffield, through the Peak District, on July 6, 2014.