Tour de France stage 14: Mulhouse to Le Markstein Fellering – live

Key events3m agoKilometre Zero25m agoDeBruyne out of the race44m agoGeneral Classification Standings54m agoThe points classification1h agoKing of the Mountains Standings1h agoPreamble1h agoWilliam Fotheringham’s stage guide151km to go The intermediate sprint is in 8.5km and Alpecin are controlling the front.Kilometre ZeroThe race director pops his head out into the dampness, waves his flag, and the riders head off into the pouring rain. No initial attacks in stinking conditions, as sprint and GC teams cover the front of the peloton.Rain turns to hail – think Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas.And actually it is raining already, slanting into the riders as they approach kilometre zero.Rain is on the menu today for a day of nasty vertical climbs – four classified climbs and 3,800m of vertical gain over 155km.They are mulling over the possibilities in the studio. “I like to see Jonus go for a stage win, be nice to see the underdog get one.” says Robbie McEwen. The panel think he should keep on riding for first place.Meanwhile the battle for that third podium place is wide open.DeBruyne out of the raceA sore throat and a fever have ruined Ramses DeBruyne’s TDF. He was sixth in the young rider’s classification and 18th in the overall standings.They’ve toddled off, 12.5k till the depart rée.“Good vibes in the bus,” says the yellow-jerseyed Pogacar, “and everyone knows what to do.” Ominous, they conclude in the studio.The start is about five minutes away and it looks hot out there, though it is only showing a relatively comfortable 26 degrees on the themometer at the moment.Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard at the ready. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPAGeneral Classification StandingsIn the studio, they’re talking about Tom Pidcock’s ride yesterday that screeched him up the GC rankings. “Audacious all day long,” says Robbie McEwen.“Probably the most talented rider GB has ever had,” adds Adam Blythe.1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG): 47hrs 18mins 31secs 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike): +3mins 36secs 3. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe): +4mins 06secs4. Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5 pro cycling team): +4mins 15secs 5. Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek): +4mins 22secs 6. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team): +4mins 35secs 7. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe): +4mins 44secs 8. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG): +5mins 08secs 9. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek): +5mins 45secs 10. Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious): +6mins 34secsThe points classificationGreen jersey standings.1. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) 377 2. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) 3363. Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) 333 4. Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) 307 5. Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team) 239 6. Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) 210 7. Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) 159 8. Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) 129 9. Milan Fretin (Cofidis) 117 10. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 107King of the Mountains StandingsThere are a maximum of 35 points on offer for the polka dot jersey chasers today:1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 42 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) 27 3. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) 194. Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5 pro cycling team): 18 5. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal Quick-Step) 18 6. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) 18 7. Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) 17 8. Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) 16 9. Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) 16 10. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 14William Fotheringham’s stage guideStage 14, Saturday 18 July: Mulhouse to Le Markstein Fellering, 155.3kmA brutal day’s climbing including a 106km loop that goes through the finish line twice, at the top of the first-category Grand Ballon after 43.9km, then finally via the Col du Haag, a steep, narrow climb, 11km at 7% up what the manual describes as “a forest path which has been converted into a cycle path”. That is after climbing the Ballon d’Alsace for the second time in two days. The trend on the Tour’s shorter mountain stages now is that the early escapees do not get enough space to contest the stage win; this has Pogacar or Vingegaard written all over it.PreambleHello! A weekend of mountain agony in the Vosges awaits for the riders, and a rather more enjoyable couple of afternoons of watching for the rest of us.An excellent first tour win for Switzerland’s Mauro Schmid yesterday in a sprint for the line was accompanied by a surprise rise up the GC rankings for Tom Pidcock, who starts today in fourth. More knowledgable people than me expect him not to have such a free ride now he has a target on his back.On stage 13, the pelaton drifted in more than seven minutes clear of the leaders, and that’s where Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard bided their time. They are bound to be more conspicuous today – the map of the terrain is a series of nasty looking acute triangles.Do join us, and send me your musings – I’d appreciate the expertise!