Benjamin King

July 17, 2014

A New King in the Tour de France Point d’Appui

Mugshot of Ben King

Ben King

American Ben King of Garmin-Sharp took over the Point d’Appui on the first hot day of the 2014 Tour de France, finishing 89th among the 177 surviving riders.

Two riders abandoned. After the heroic ride during the previous Stage 11, Andrew Talansky, leader of Garmin-Sharp, did not start Stage 12 due to injuries. David De La Cruz of Team Netapp-Endura got into the break-away with four other riders; but, while coming around a sharp right-hand bend, the front tire of his bike appeared to have a blow-out that sent him hard into the pavement, breaking his clavicle and withdrawing from the race.

The overall leader of the tour is still Vincenzo Nibali of Astana, and the Lanterne Rouge is Cheng Ji of Team Giant-Shimano. Alexander Kristoff of Team Katusha won Stage 12, holding off Peter Sagan, who has finished second on sprint stages five times now. The Point d’Appui for the stage was Marcel Sieberg of Lotto-Belisol.

August 25, 2012

King Sits Atop the USA Pro Cycling’s Fulcrum

American Benjamin King of RadioShack-Nissan has gained the overall Point d’Appui in the USA Pro Cycling Tour at the end of Stage 5. King is 23 minutes and 31 seconds behind race leader Tejay van Garderen of BMC and 36 minutes and 53 seconds ahead of the Lanterne Rouge, Morgan Schmitt of Team Exergy.

With only two days to go in the Colorado race, King has probably the best shot of holding onto the fulcrum, but George Hincapie, riding his last professional bicycle race is only six spots off the middle. If he continues working hard to keep van Garderen in the lead, he might just slip back enough in the closing moments of the final two days to grab the Point d’Appui.

The Point d’Appui for Stage 5 was another American, Andrew Bajadali of Team Optum. Bajadali finished with the same time on the stage as winner Tyler Farrar and another 67 riders.