MADRID, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Dutch rider Robert Gesink (Lotto-Jumbo) claimed the 14th stage of the Tour of Spain on Saturday, which covered 196 kilometers and finished on the special category at Col de Aubisque.
Gesink, who missed the Tour de France in July after suffering a head trauma and memory loss due to a heavy crash in the Tour of Switzerland, crossed the line in a time of 5 hours 43 minutes and 24 seconds to win a slow-motion sprint over France's Kenny Elissonde and Russian Egor Silin.
Gesink was the strongest in a group of 30 riders who broke away in the early stages of the race.
The breakaway forced Chris Froome's Sky team to do a lot of work at the head of the peloton in pursuit until the final two climbs of the day: the Marie Blanque and the special category Col de Aubisque, where battle commenced between Froome and race leader Nairo Quintana of Columbia.
Quintana tried on four occasions to leave Froome through a series of rapid accelerations while the British rider responded again and again to draw level and finish with the same time after a fascinating duel.
Quintana retains a 54-second lead over Froome in the overall classification, while Esteban Chaves of Columbia is third over two minutes behind.
The big winner of the day was Britain's Simon Yates as he finished over a minute ahead of Froome and Quintana in fifth on the stage to move up to fourth overall.
Sunday's 15th stage, short but sharp covering 118 kilometers, contains the second and third climb categories of the race before finishing with the first mountain category at Formigal.