Thymen Arensman delivered a badly needed lift for Ineos Grenadiers by winning Stage 14 of the 2025 Tour de France on July 19, a savage 125km Pyrenean trek finishing atop Superbagnères in Haute-Garonne. The Dutch rider sprang from the day’s early move and held firm over nearly 5,000 metres of climbing as the yellow jersey group, marshalled by Tadej Pogacar’s squad, watched one another behind. For Arensman, largely anonymous until now, the triumph rescued his Tour and injected morale into the British outfit.
The win came on a murky, wet and fogbound day that discouraged risk-taking among the overall contenders. Pogacar, already a four-time stage winner this Tour, monitored tentative accelerations from Jonas Vingegaard over the final kilometres and then kicked clear in the last 150 metres to nick bonus seconds, stretching his overall advantage to 4min 13sec.
Riders tiptoed through the high passes under dense white fog that at times cut visibility to roughly 20 metres. After hours of fierce racing across the Tourmalet and Peyresourde, slick roads on the descents demanded full concentration; most of the favourites opted for caution rather than all‑out attacks, helping the break stay clear.
Safety concerns framed the day for other reasons. An Ineos Grenadiers team car struck a roadside spectator roughly 200 metres below the summit of the Col de Peyresourde. The sports director driving was fined 5,000 Swiss francs and shown a yellow card for dangerous behaviour; a second card would mean exclusion from the race. Local police opened an investigation. The team issued an apology and said it strives to maintain a safe environment for riders and fans.
Remco Evenepoel abandoned at the base of the Col du Tourmalet after struggling through the morning, shaking up the general classification. His withdrawal opened the door for Scotland’s Oscar Onley, sixth on the stage, to climb into fourth overall as the race leaves the Pyrenees.
The formidable route packed close to 5,000 metres of elevation gain into just 125 kilometres, including the mammoth, mist‑shrouded Tourmalet, where Lenny Martinez crested first to seize the lead in the King of the Mountains classification and the polka dot jersey.
Sunday’s run to Carcassonne (Stage 15, 20 July) should hand the sprinters another opportunity before the peloton enjoys its second rest day on Monday after Stage 15, and then turns toward the Alpine block. Expect renewed GC fireworks in the Alps soon after. Gaps remain volatile.
