logo
Tour de France stage 14 - third-placed Evenepoel forced to abandon race

Tour de France stage 14 - third-placed Evenepoel forced to abandon race

BBC News19-07-2025
Update:
Date: 63km to go
Title: Polka-dot jersey - Martinez leads chase duo by 40secs
Content: Lenny Martinez summited the Col d'Aspin 40 seconds before Sepp Kuss and Valentin Paret-Peintre, with Michael Woods 2mins 20secs off the French youngster:
Update:
Date: 60km to go
Title: Weather makes today's stage 'more equal'
Content: Oscar Onley on today's weather: "I prefer the heat. We see that some guys struggle more in the heat, so it's nice to have a bit of an advantage there. I think today is more equal."
Update:
Date: 63km to go
Title: Polka-dot jersey - Martinez takes maximum KoM points
Content: Lenny Martinez bags another five mountain points on the category two climb of the Col d'Aspin.
The young Frenchman is the first rider to reach 50 points, which earns him a special prize of 5,000 euros for the 50th anniversary of the polka-dot jersey.
Update:
Date: 65km to go
Title: Johannessen set to climb GC standings
Content: With a two-minute lead over the yellow jersey group, Tobias Johannessen has leapfrogged Primoz Roglic in the virtual general classification standings.
The Norwegian rider, who races for second-tier ProTeam Uno-X Mobility, is currently sixth and is just one minute off the podium.
Update:
Date: 14:16 BST
Title: General classification without Evenepoel
Content:
Update:
Date: 14:13 BST
Title: White jersey - British rider Onley closing on podium place
Content: With Remco Evenepoel now out of the equation, British youngster Oscar Onley needs to gain 41 seconds on Florian Lipowitz to move into a GC podium place and wear the white jersey tomorrow for best young rider.
Ben Healy is currently 11th in the GC standings but the Irish breakaway specialist could well lose time during this battle in the mountains.
Update:
Date: 14:09 BST
Title: Get Involved - Evenepoel forced to withdraw
Content: #bbccycling on X, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Tough start to the season following that crash, a superb Pogacar and clearly some underlying illness. Shame he has to retire but age is on his side. He'll be back next year and likely a lot stronger.
Pieter
ICYMI, Remco Evenepoel sustained rib, shoulder blade and hand fractures in a bike crash during a training ride in December.
He also needed surgery on a dislocated collarbone after crashing into an open door of a postal vehicle while on a ride in his native Belgium.
Update:
Date: 70km to go
Title: Martinez's lead stable
Content: Sepp Kuss and Valentin Paret-Peintre were closing on Lenny Martinez, but his lead is now stable at about 50 seconds.
The Tobias Johannessen group is about to start the climb, about a minute further back, with the yellow jersey group two minutes behind them.
Update:
Date: 14:03 BST
Title: What climbs are to come on today's stage?
Content: Mountains, 182.6km, Pau to Luchon-Superbagneres
Now then, the leaders are now onto the next climb:
Update:
Date: 13:57 BST
Title: Get Involved - Evenepoel forced to withdraw
Content: #bbccycling on X, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Come off it BBC. this year's Tour de France route is no harder than most years. Remco is out of gas, legs are gone this year. That's all.
Rob
Update:
Date: 75km to go
Title: Post
Content: Lenny Martinez is almost at the bottom, with Sepp Kuss and Valentin Paret-Peintre having closed to within a minute.
The other chasers are a further 20secs back, with the peloton 3mins 40secs adrift of Martinez.
Update:
Date: 80km to go
Title: Polka-dot jersey - KoM standings after Col du Tourmalet
Content: 1. Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) - 47 points2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG) - 37 pts3. Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) - 37 pts4. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) - 27 pts5. Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) - 18 pts
Update:
Date: 85km to go
Title: Polka-dot jersey - Martinez claims maximum KoM points
Content: Michael Woods is second over the Col du Tourmalet summit, leading a group that is 1min 45secs behind Lenny Martinez:
Update:
Date: 91km to go
Title: Martinez begins treacherous descent
Content: Lenny Martinez isn't the only rider chucking on the wet-weather gear.
And visibility is pretty poor coming down from the summit.
The riders are going to have to keep their wits about them, this is one treacherous descent.
Update:
Date: 93km to go
Title: Polka-dot jersey - Martinez first over Tourmalet
Content: Lenny Martinez is first to the top of the Col du Tourmalet to pocket 20 mountain points and claim the Souvenir Jacques Goddet.
And as the young Frenchman summits, he whips out his rain jacket and puts it on as he prepares to head straight into a sharp descent.
Update:
Date: 94km to go
Title: Post
Content: The yellow jersey group is more than three minutes back from Lenny Martinez and features 41 riders.
Update:
Date: 95km to go
Title: Post
Content: Behind Martinez is a group of 16 riders, including Visma team-mates Simon Yates and Sepp Kuss, plus Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) and Ben O'Connor (Jayco AlUla).
Tobias Johannessen, who is 10 minutes off Tadej Pogacar in eighth on general classification, is the highest GC rider in that group.
Update:
Date: 96km to go
Title: Post
Content: Back to the head of the course, and Lenny Martinez has gone clear - by more than a minute.
He's now climbing into mist towards the top of the Col du Tourmalet.
Update:
Date: 13:21 BST
Title: Get Involved - Evenepoel forced to withdraw
Content: #bbccycling on X, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Remco Evenepoel looked distressed as he stepped into the Soudal Quick-Step team car. For a supremely gifted young athlete, this has got to be hard to accept.
What are your thoughts on the Belgian star being forced to withdraw? Is he ill? Is it a result of a brutal route for the start to this year's race?
Let us know your thoughts via the usual channels above.
Update:
Date: 13:16 BST
Title: Evenepoel & Skjelmose withdraw from race
Content: Yep, he's done.
Remco Evenepoel, who finished third in last year's Tour and was third at the start of the day, has had to withdraw from this year's race.
So too has Mattias Skjelmose after hitting that traffic island earlier on.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

West Ham make decision on Lucas Paqueta's future at the club - with the Brazilian expected to be cleared of spot-fixing charges
West Ham make decision on Lucas Paqueta's future at the club - with the Brazilian expected to be cleared of spot-fixing charges

Daily Mail​

time15 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

West Ham make decision on Lucas Paqueta's future at the club - with the Brazilian expected to be cleared of spot-fixing charges

West Ham United are ready to cash in on Lucas Paqueta this summer – two years after missing out on an £80million payday when the FA's investigation thwarted his big-money move to Manchester City. Paqueta had been considered untouchable to potential suitors with the spot-fixing charges hanging over him which could have robbed him of his entire career. But Mail Sport has learned the Hammers are open to letting Paqueta leave for less than half of that old £80m valuation now that he is in line to be found innocent of picking up yellow cards on purpose in Premier League fixtures to influence betting outcomes. It is believed a bid in the region of £30m in this window could be enough to convince the Hammers to part with their Brazilian star. Paqueta's former club Flamengo are among those who have been interested in the 27-year-old. Their sporting director Jose Boto told Mail Sport during their Club World Cup campaign last month that they are targeting European experience, having brought in Jorginho from Arsenal earlier this summer. Flamengo have been waiting to discover whether Paqueta was deemed guilty by the independent panel who tried his FA case, though they are not alone in that regard. The attacking midfielder is expected to attract several suitors after yesterday's news that he is set to be found innocent. Official confirmation has not yet come from the FA. City's interest in Paqueta came when he was at the peak of his powers, having played the pass that set up Jarrod Bowen to win them the 2023 Conference League final in Prague. Paqueta's current contract expires in 2027, though West Ham do hold the option of tying him down for an additional year. They signed him for £51m from Lyon in 2022.

England's never-say-die icons take on Spain: a bluffer's guide to the Euros final
England's never-say-die icons take on Spain: a bluffer's guide to the Euros final

The Guardian

time15 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

England's never-say-die icons take on Spain: a bluffer's guide to the Euros final

The Lionesses, as England's women's football team is known, will defend their Euros crown on Sunday, after Sarina Wiegman's side snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Italy in the semi-final, scoring the latest of late goals to win 2-1 at the Stade de Genève in Lancy. It is the team's third successive major tournament final – they won Euro 2022 against Germany at Wembley, and reached the World Cup final a year later, where they lost to Spain. But on Sunday they will have the opportunity to rectify two years of hurt, when they face La Roja again. Spain beat an excellent Germany 1-0 in extra time on Wednesday night and will go into Sunday evening's match as favourites. But after a series of last minute victories, England will be hoping to hit their stride and take the trophy home once again. The match at St Jakob-Park in Basel kicks off at 5pm BST and will be shown on BBC one, iPlayer, ITV1 and ITVX. You'll be in good company – the semi-final was watched by a peak audience of 10.2 million, ITV's highest viewing figures of the year. Yes, but the thousands who have travelled to Switzerland to watch the Lionesses have been through the wringer. First came an impressively bad opening performance against France, when they somehow only lost 2-1. Things did get better – England then trounced the Netherlands 4-0, before thrashing Wales 6-1 in their final group game. But the knock-out stages of the tournament have been a white-knuckle ride. In the quarter final against Sweden, England were looking down the barrel of a 2-0 defeat when two English goals in 102 seconds propelled them into extra time and the greatest terrible penalty shootout of all time. Of the 14 penalties taken, only five were scored, with England sneaking home 3-2. The semi-final against Italy was even more dramatic. England were 1-0 down with two minutes of injury time remaining when 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang scored a belter to take the game into extra time. With one minute of that to go, the super sub Chloe Kelly – who you may remember for a shirt-twirling celebration of her match-winning goal in the the Euro 2022 final – pounced on the rebound of her saved penalty in the 119th minute to put England through. It's been exhausting, frankly. England are still one of the best teams in the world, with a depth of world-class players and a ferocious team spirit that only a fool would bet against. They have also proven on multiple occasions this tournament that while they may look like they are down, you can't count on them being out. And while Wiegman has come in for some criticism for making late substitutions and overseeing some lacklustre performances, she is nonetheless making her way to Basel for her fifth major-tournament final in a row. For now at least, fans are keeping the refrain: in Sarina we trust. Yes, although some of the best-known figures are not in Switzerland. There is still plenty of experience in the team, including the captain, Leah Williamson, Georgia Stanway, Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly. Lucy Bronze, arguably the greatest female player England has ever produced, continues to be a force of nature. As well as burying her penalty against Sweden, the 33-year-old captured the never-say-die mentality of the squad and provided most of the iconic moments of the competition when she strapped her own injured thigh in the quarter-final. The name on everyone's lips before the final is that of the teenager Michelle Agyemang, who has twice come on to score and save England from elimination in this tournament. The Arsenal player spent much of last season on loan to Brighton and only made her international debut in April, when she scored after 40 seconds. With three goals in four games in an England shirt, fans will expect to see her brought on before the dying moments of the match. Chelsea's 24-year-old goalie Hannah Hampton had big gloves to fill at these Euros, but has proved her mettle, saving two penalties in the semi-final shoot out with a bloodied tissue shoved up her right nostril. Are Spain any good by the way? Yes, muy buenas. Realmente buenas, in fact. With a very on-brand love of possession (68% against Switzerland, 67% against Germany), Spain have a habit of simply keeping hold of the ball until they finally manage to pass it into the net. The midfielder Aitana Bonmatí – who was only discharged from hospital after a bout of viral meningitis in June – is probably the best player in the world right now. She won the Ballon d'Or, Fifa's player of the year award, for the second year in succession in December. The midfielder Alèxia Putellas, Barcelona's captain, is a double Ballon d'Or winner. And Patri Guijarro, who plays for, yes you guessed it, Barcelona, is probably a future Ballon d'Or winner. Mariona Caldentey has had a brilliant first season for Arsenal, after a decade with… Barcelona. They're a bunch of golden ballers, basically.

Max Verstappen wins Belgian sprint in first race since Horner's Red Bull exit
Max Verstappen wins Belgian sprint in first race since Horner's Red Bull exit

The Guardian

time17 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Max Verstappen wins Belgian sprint in first race since Horner's Red Bull exit

Max Verstappen won the sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix with a steely and opportunistic drive for Red Bull against the odds. Having taken the lead on the opening lap he beat the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris into second and third, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth. His teammate Lewis Hamilton finished 15th having started in 18th. It was something of another processional sprint over the 15 laps but Piastri's second-placefinish extends his championship lead over Norris from eight to nine points. Verstappen said: 'It worked out really well, that's obviously the only opportunity you are going to get against them and we got it. 'I knew it was going to be very tough to keep them behind, we were just playing like cat and mouse, DRS, battery usage and it was a good race within seven-tenths. 'I couldn't afford to make big mistakes, I had one tiny lock up in the last corner but apart from that it was a great result to keep them behind and to have a win here in Spa. To have a win in Spa it still counts, I'm very happy with what we did out there.' It was the start Red Bull needed in their first race without the recently dismissed team principal Christian Horner and the opening meeting with Laurent Mekies in charge. They brought upgrades to this race, including a revised front wing and took a chance on their setup to maximise top speed, in an effort to overcome McLaren's pace advantage, but it had not paid off in qualifying where Verstappen was half a second off Piastri. However in the race, the Dutch driver was decisive and audacious, taking his one chance with clinical authority. With the McLaren taking time to come up to speed, he pounced and while Piastri was quicker through the bends of the second sector, he did not have enough to overcome Verstappen. Verstappen's 12th sprint win and his second in Belgium means he remains by some distance the most successful driver in the short format. Piastri held his led on the short dash into La Source but Verstappen took a slipstream behind the McLaren on the Kemmel straight and grabbed the lead into Les Combes, the Red Bull running a skinny wing for straight-line speed and making the most of it in the quick first sector. Piastri harried Verstappen, looking for a way through, but the Dutchman used his speed advantage to stay just out of reach in the opening part of the lap and the Australian could not quite bridge the gap. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion The pair circled nose to tail for lap after lap, as Piastri looked for any slight opening but Verstappen was, as ever, almost inch-perfect. Norris caught the pair with 10 laps gone yet he too could do nothing but on lap 11 Verstappen went wide at the Bus Stop and Piastri closed. The Red Bull driver told his team he was having problems with his brakes but just clung on to the front and it was enough to see him through. Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman were fifth and seventh for Haas, Carlos Sainz sixth for Williams and Isack Hadjar eighth for Racing Bulls. Verstappen said: 'You are trying to keep faster cars behind so you're having to drive over the limit to what you think is possible. 'Tyre management is out of the window so that is what is making it really difficult, I'm just doing 15 qualifying laps to try and keep them behind on a track where tyre management is important. It wasn't easy but we managed to do it and I'm very happy with that. 'Do I feel pole is possible? I'm not sure but we will try our best and we will have a few ideas of what we want to do and try to be as close as possible to them.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store