Tour de France: Cummings wins 14th stage, Froome leads

British journeyman Stephen Cummings earned South African team MTN-Qhubeka a landmark victory on Mandela Day when he spoiled a French party to take a surprise win in the 14th stage of the Tour de France on Saturday.

Cummings beat Thibaut Pinot into second and Romain Bardet into third, powering past the two Frenchmen inside the final kilometres while both were marking each other thinking the race was between the two of them.

Cummings, riding for the first African team on the Tour de France, even had time to raise his arms in celebration after staying within distance of the French rivals in the final climb, a 3-km ascent at an average gradient of 10.1 per cent.

Briton Chris Froome retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after holding off his rivals and event gaining further ground at the end of the 198.5-km ride from Rodez.

After Cummings had won from the day's breakaway, Froome came under fire from his rivals for the general classification.

Colombian Nairo Quintana was the first to attack in the final climb and he was followed by Spaniard Alejandro Valverde and defending champion Vincenzo Nibali of Italy.

But the 2013 champion never panicked and came back, eventually distancing them.

He finished one second ahead of Quintana, who climbed to second overall 3:10 behind, leapfrogging American Tejay van Garderen who is now third 3:32 off the pace after losing 40 seconds to Froome.

Spaniards Valverde and Alberto Contador are fourth and fifth overall, 4:02 and 4:23 off the pace after losing a few seconds in the finale.

Sunday's 15th stage is a hilly ride between Mende and Valence.