Stage 14 Carnage at Superbagnères: Arensman Shocks the GC Elite
The Breakaway That Didn’t Break
In a stage built for pure climbers and hardened GC men, it was Thymen Arensman (INEOS Grenadiers) who flipped the script. With 98 km of sheer aggression and a perfectly timed mountain raid, the Dutch debutant landed the first Tour de France win of his career, soloing into the clouds on the brutal slopes of Superbagnères.
He didn’t just hold off the chasers — he destroyed them.
🥇 Top 5 Finishers – Stage 14
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thymen Arensman | INEOS Grenadiers | 17:12:00 |
| 2 | Tadej Pogacar | UAE Team Emirates | +1’08” |
| 3 | Jonas Vingegaard | Visma-Lease a Bike | +1’12” |
| 4 | Felix Gall | Decathlon AG2R | +1’19” |
| 5 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | +1’25” |
See all Stage 14 standings!
How the Final 10km Unfolded
With the peloton still debating strategy, Arensman didn’t wait. At the foot of Superbagnères, he had 2+ minutes and growing. As the big names began their chess match — Vingegaard’s digs, Pogacar’s accelerations, Gall’s daring move — Arensman just climbed.
“No theatrics. No glances back. Just watts and willpower.” — Stage Commentator
The GC group splintered behind. Adam Yates paced, Lipowitz faded, and Gall briefly surged before being reeled in. Pogacar and Vingegaard went full nuclear with 4 km to go — but they were too late.
GC Drama: Seconds That Will Haunt
Pogacar managed to gap Vingegaard by 5 seconds on the line, a rare reverse of Stage 11’s narrative. Still, both lost over a minute to a rider they hadn’t marked.
The real damage? Tactical misfires. The big teams let Arensman get the leash… and paid dearly.
- Pogacar: Still yellow, but no cushion.
- Vingegaard: Looks sharper, but reactive.
- INEOS: Suddenly back in the headlines — and in the GC shakeup.
Tactical Breakdown: What Made This Win Work
INEOS played it classic:
- Get a diesel climber in the break
- Let chaos reign behind
- Time the effort to the last brutal climb
- Hope the GC teams hesitate
It wasn’t flashy. It was effective. Arensman’s 510m gap in the final 2 km was all class — no one got close.
🏆A Star Is Born
Thymen Arensman has arrived.
A rider once known for pacing time trials and top-10s just stepped into the spotlight with a generational performance. In a Tour already overloaded with GC warfare, Stage 14 may go down as the most brilliant ambush yet.
Let the Alps brace for retaliation.
