Rogers claims first Tour win, Pinot moves up on GC

21 riders in the lead

A 21-man breakaway took shape in three waves, starting at km 28 just after Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) took the only point awarded at the 4th category côte de Fanjeaux and therefore deprived Joaquim Rodriguez of the polka dot jersey as the two of them were equal on point as the race left Carcassonne following the second rest day. Bernhard Eisel and Vassil Kiriyenka (Sky), Jon Izagirre (Movistar), Michael Rogers (Tinkoff), Jan Bakelants and Michal Kwiatkowski (OPQS), Samuel Dumoulin and Matteo Montaguti (AG2R), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Garmin), José Serpa (Lampre), Jérémy Roy (FDJ), Tony Gallopin (Lotto), Greg van Avermaet (BMC), Cyril Gautier, Kévin Reza and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Michael Albasini and Jens Keukeleire (Orica), Roger Kluge (IAM), Anthony Delaplace and Florian Vachon (Bretagne) were united at km 73, right after Montaguti passed the côte de Pamiers alone in the lead. The composition of the breakaway put an end to fifty kilometers of hard racing.

Voeckler in action at Port de Balès

The 21 escapees got a maximum lead of 12 minutes just before climbing to Port de Balès with 35km to go. Voeckler attacked 5km before the summit. A trio contested the KOM: Serpa, Voeckler and Rogers, while Thibaut Pinot attacked in the yellow jersey group with four kilometers to go to the KOM point. His first victim was Tejay van Garderen. Romain Bardet eventually lost contact as well. So did Alejandro Valverde close to the top.

Rogers soloes to victory

In the downhill, Gautier and Kiriyenka rejoined the leading trio where cooperation wasn't ideal because Serpa and Rogers knew of Voeckler's reputation of being unbeaten at Bagnères-de-Luchon. With 4.5km to go, Rogers took Gautier by surprise and rode away solo. Europcar had no choice but be content with Voeckler's second place and Gautier's most aggressive rider price of the day. Among the GC contenders, Pinot made the biggest profit of the first Pyrenean stage as he preceded direct rival Bardet by 1.50 on the line and took the white jersey over from him. Van Garderen lost much more time and lots of hopes to make the final podium.