Route du Sud (2014) Photos June 20 - 22

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National champions called up to the front for the start of Stage 1 in Lectoure	Break while heading south to the Pyrenees	Break: Axel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale), Benoit Jarrier (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Yoann Paillot (La Pomme Marseille) and Antonio Molina (Caja Rural)
Peloton chasing	Break
Break	Break	Break
Break was later caught on the penultimate climb with 25 km to go	FDJ and Movistar at the front of the peloton	The Break with the High Pyrenees in the distance
Break	Chase	Kanstantsin Siutsou (Sky) attacks on the first of two finishing cat 3 climbs after the break was caught with about 20 km to go. He held on until 7 km to go.
Jesus Herrada (Movistar) hangs on to win stage 1 after surviving a late break	Spanish national champ, Jesus Herrada (Movistar) wins Stage 1	The peloton coming up around the final corner
Solo win, extended celebration		2nd Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Movistar) + 6s followed by 3rd Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.fr) and 4th Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo)
	Your stage 1 winner, Jesus Herrada (Movistar)	and first race leader, Jesus Herrada (Movistar)
	Kanstantsin Siutsou (Sky)	Axel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale)
Axel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale)

Stage 2:  Bagnères de Bigorre → Val Louron, 179 km  Full Results and Report

Movistar's Alejandro Valverde and Jesus Herrada during the morning signing in Bagnères de Bigorre	Alejandro Valverde in an oversized Green Points Leader jersey before he switched back to the regular Movistar jersey before the start	Race leader, Jesus Herrada finished 29th + 4:15 in the high mountains
Kanstantsin SIUTSOU (SKY) was 7th today + 45s	Jersey leaders lining up in Bagnères de Bigorre	Today's break
Climbing Col du Tourmalet, the first of three big climbs
	View from the top of Col du Tourmalet
One of the steep Col du Tourmalet switchbacks near the top
	Alejandro VALVERDE (MOVISTAR)
Jerome Cousin (Europcar) attacking Col du Aspin	About to be joined by Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale)	The remnants of the early eight men break, Jerome Cousin (Europcar) and Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale)
Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale) was first to the top of Col du Aspin	Jerome Cousin (Europcar)	Peloton down to 35 or so on Col du Aspin led by Kanstantsin SIUTSOU (SKY)
		Michael Rogers setting the pace
Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo) attack	Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo)	Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) chasing with small select group Merhawi KUDUS (MTN - QHUBEKA), Michael ROGERS (TINKOFF-SAXO) and Kanstantsin SIUTSOU (SKY)
	Nicolas Roche pays off the great work of his Tinkoff-Saxo teammates
Your stage 2 winner, Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo)	Like Movistar did yesterday, Tinkoff-Saxo goes 1-2 with Michael ROGERS (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 45s reversing his finish order with Alejandro VALVERDE (MOVISTAR)	A couple youngsters coming 4th and 5th, 4th Kenny ELISSONDE (FDJ.fr) and 5th Merhawi KUDUS (MTN - QHUBEKA)
9th Ian BOSWELL (SKY) + 1:22	18th Rudy MOLARD (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) + 1:59 had some sort of crash near the finish	Finish scene at Val Louron
Your stage 2 winner, Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo)	and new race leader, Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo), leads by 45s	Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo) is on the verge of winning his first stage race
Points leader too	Best young rider, Merhawi KUDUS (MTN - QHUBEKA)

Stage 3:  Saint-Gaudens → Castres, 179 km  Full Results and Report

Tinkoff-Saxo at the morning team presentation in Saint-Gaudens. They would go on to win the teams competition	Race leader, Nicolas ROCHE (TINKOFF-SAXO) and 3rd overall Alejandro VALVERDE (MOVISTAR)	Jersey leaders photo-op in Saint-Gaudens
	Rollout from Saint-Gaudens
	Stage 1 winner, Jesus HERRADA (Movistar) getting a break started	Just like yesterday, an eight men break
Tinkoff-Saxo setting the pace for the peloton		Europcar's Yukiya ARASHIRO
Cofidis' Jerome COPPEL
Race leader, Nicolas ROCHE
	Race leader, Nicolas ROCHE
Alejandro VALVERDE (MOVISTAR) which out of his Green Jersey again today at some point		Break again
Peloton
	Late attack by Adriano MALORI (MOVISTAR) succeeds in Castres
For the third day in a row, our stage winner had plenty of time for an extended celebration	Your Stage 3 winner, Adriano MALORI (MOVISTAR)
2nd Benjamin GIRAUD (LA POMME MARSEILLE 13) + 5s followed by Maxime DANIEL (AG2R LA MONDIALE) and Nacer BOUHANNI (FDJ.fr)
	Stage 3 winner, Adriano MALORI (MOVISTAR)	Nicolas ROCHE (TINKOFF-SAXO)
Your 2014 Route du Sud winner, Nicolas ROCHE (TINKOFF-SAXO)	Nicolas ROCHE (TINKOFF-SAXO) celebrates his first overall stage race win	Bring on the Tour de France
Points winner too
Jérôme Coppel was the most aggressive rider today
Tinkoff Saxo wins the teams competition with 1st and 3rd overall helping the effort	Your (Impressive) 2014 Route du Sud podium: 2nd Alejandro VALVERDE (MOVISTAR) + 45s, 1st Nicolas ROCHE (TINKOFF-SAXO) 13:47:07, 3rd Michael ROGERS (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 49s