Tour de France 2022: Michael Matthews powers to Stage 14 victory, Jonas Vingegaard retains yellow jersey

Michael Matthews (BikeExchange–Jayco) produced a stunning ride to claim victory on Stage 14 of the Tour de France.

After attacking with 52km to go, the Australian hit the front but was reeled in momentarily by Alberto Bettiol (EF Education–EasyPost) on the final climb.

Matthews, however, refused to allow the Italian the glory and regained the lead in the final 3km and powered over the line. Bettiol came in second, while Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) finished in third place to complete the podium.

In the battle for yellow, Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar locked horns but the Dane stuck to his rival's wheel to hold on to the GC lead.

It was a day billed for the breakaway since the route map for the race was first released. Historically, a finish in Mende had been very good for the break with four of the five previous finishes on the aerodrome resulting in a win for the group up the road.

Despite this, like the majority of stages at this year's tour, the pace from start in St Etienne was fearsome, with a break unable to be established until 45km of the 192.5km route had already passed.

It would be a group of 23 riders that would go on to open an advantage of up to 13’30” on the peloton at its peak. The group included some top quality riders with Matthews, Dani Martinez (Ineos Grenadiers), Lennard Kamna (BORA hansgrohe) and Michael Woods (Israel Start up nation) all present.

The dangerous EF Education First trio of Rigoberto Uran, Bettiol and Neilson Powless were also in the group.

It was a rolling route around the lower foothills of the Massif Central region, made up of four category three climbs before the final category two climb in Mende.

The breakaway of 23 worked well and were united in their effort to ensure the race be won within their group.

Matthews would be the first to go, when he went for a long range, solo attack 52km from the line. Before that it was a largely uneventful day with the peloton happy to accept the race would be won in the break.

In a sharp turn of pace the Team BikeExchange rider quickly opened up a 30” second gap, before being pegged backed by Andreas Kron (Lotto Soudal), Felix Grosschartner (BORA - hansgrohe) and veteran Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain - Victorious). The quartet reached the summit of the Cote de la Fage - the final category three climb of the day - thirty seconds ahead of the original breakaway group.

Soon after, Lotto Soudal’s Tour would go from bad to worse. Kron, who was looking one of the stronger of the four, had a puncture with 25km to go and his chance of a stage victory quickly vanished. It would then just be the trio of Matthews, Sanchez and Grosschartner that would reach the final climb together. At 3km long with an average gradient of 10.2km, it would prove to be too much for Sanchez and Grosschartner as they were quickly dropped.

It was only Bettiol from the chasing group that could match Matthews pace as he briefly overtook the Australian in the closing meters. Towards the summit, Mathews kicked on and dropped Bettiol on the crest of the climb before riding home to claim his fourth Tour de France stage win.

Bettiol would roll through in second, with Pinot making up the podium thirty seconds back.

Soon after Matthews crossed the line the attention would quickly change to the peloton and GC contenders. Pogacar attempted a flurry of attacks but Vingergaard in the yellow jersey would quickly lock on to his wheel on each occasion before they finished at the line together.

Pocagars attacks, however, were enough to distance Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), David Gaudu (Groupama - FDJ) and Nairo Quintana (Team Arkea Samsic) as they lost a further 15” to the pair. Vingergaard keeps the yellow jersey, 2’22” ahead of Pogacar and 2’43” ahead of Thomas in third.

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