Cycling Racing News and Opinion
July 24, 2014

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Chris Horner attacked in the final kilometers of Thursday's stage 18, but like everyone at this year's Tour, he found Vincenzo Nibali's ability overpowering. "I was aware that Nibali was willing to win the stage, so his team would have controlled all the breakaways of the first part of the race: it would have been risky to attack before the final climb. That's why I preferred to wait the Hautacam climb to try my action: only Nibali could follow me.

"Vincenzo is in an amazing condition, it's very difficult to resist to his pace, but I hoped he could counter attack a little bit closer to the arrival, but actually he did not wait too much."

Chris Horner throwing some high heat. Photo ©Sirotti

José Joaquin Rojas of Movistar won't be starting tomorrow's stage. He's been tossed from the Tour for using a team car to tow him up the Tourmalet. The car has also been sent home.

Vincenzo Nibali won his fourth road stage (not time trial stages) this Tour, an accomplishment not equaled since Eddy Merckx in 1970.

Alejandro Valverde tried a surprise attack on the Tourmalet's descent today. But, when the Spanish time trial champion hit the Hautacam ascent he also hit the wall, tumbling from second to fourth place. He's optimisitic that he'll do well in Saturday's time trial, "I hope I find my good legs there. Anything is possible, and maybe I can take back second place."

Thibaut Pinot is in second place, but only 15 seconds sit between Pinot and fourth-place Alejandro Valverde with Jean-Christophe Péraud sitting in between. He says, "Fifteen seconds in a time trial of 55 km, it is nothing. It is tied."

Thibaut Pinot. Photo ©Sirotti

Jean-Christophe Péraud, currently in third place, says, "I believe in second place."

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