Tour de France Stage 16: Michael Rogers takes his third Grand Tour stage win of 2014

Michael Rogers, winner of two Giro d'Italia stages in May, has today taken his first ever Tour de France stage victory in Bagneres de Luchon as the race entered the Pyrenees. The Australian attacked from the break late on to take a solo win. It's the second stage win in four days for Tinkoff-Saxo, who have rescued a race that saw Alberto Contador depart last week with a broken leg. Europcar's Thomas Voeckler finished second, with Team Sky's Vasil Kiryienka third.

The breakaway group that Rogers got into, comprising 21 riders, took a while to form on the 237.5 kilometre stage from Carcassonne, the longest of this year’s race.

The biggest obstacle of the stage was the Hors-Catagorie Porte de Balès, crested 21.5 kilometres from the finish.

On that ascent, AG2R’s Romain Bardet, third overall this morning, was dropped from the group containing the overall contenders and cedes his potential podium spot to FDJ.fr’s Thibaut Pinot.

Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali retains the race lead, 4 minutes 37 seconds ahead of Alejandro Valverde of Movistar.

Tomorrow’s Stage 17 sees the peloton tackle three Catgeory 1 climbs ahead of an Hors-Categorie summit finish at Saint-Lary Pla d’Adet.

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