Stage 14

The road

At the start

Over the Simplon, back into Italy

Crans-Montana settled nothing: Geraint Thomas still leads Primož Roglič by two seconds and João Almeida by 22. Forty-one riders have abandoned, Mads Pedersen the latest. Today starts at Sierre in the Valais and climbs the Simplon Pass — 20.2 kilometres at 6.5 per cent — inside the first hour, then falls for 124 kilometres back into Italy and along Lake Maggiore to Cassano Magnago.

How it was won

1. 162 km to go

   Bettiol ignites it

   In the pouring rain Alberto Bettiol ventures off the front with 62km to go, setting off a chain reaction of attacks in the fight for the stage.

2. 217 km to go

   The move splits

   A small rise 17km out fractures the break; Skujins, Ballerini and Oldani forge clear and work well toward the line.

3. 3At the line

   Cassano Magnago

   Denz's chasers catch the leaders 500 metres out and, once again the strongest sprinter from a small group, the German wins his second stage in three days.

The result