A lengthy chase, an exhausting battle of wills, an extraordinary spectacle on the relentless rolling terrain of the Corrèze: even though shortened due to weather alerts, the ninth stage of the Tour de France - from Malemort to Ussel for 154 km - delivered emotions in abundance.
And the seal was put on it by Mathieu Van der Poel who sought the breakaway all day, achieved it, then selected the group of attackers once and then attacked again near the final climb of the day, when 25 kilometers remained to the finish. At his wheel Tobias Johannessen, Tom Pidcock and Alex Baudin managed to stay with him, collaborating but unable to counter the explosive acceleration with which the Alpecin - Premier Tech champion secured his third stage victory at the Tour de France. Six seconds behind the leading quartet, Filippo Ganna controlled the yellow jersey group.
THE RACE. In the very first kilometers of the race, Steinhauser (EF Education - EasyPost), Kirsch (Cofidis), Hermans (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro), Costiou (Groupama - FDJ United) and Oldani (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA) gained an advantage but their lead over the peloton remained minimal.
At the intermediate sprint in Beynat they passed in the order Pedersen (Lidl Trek), Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin - Premier Tech). The intermediate sprint effectively ignited the race with several athletes attempting attacks, including Ganna and Tiberi.
Around the fortieth kilometer of the race, a very active Alaphilippe accelerated alongside his teammate Haller; the two Tudor leaders were then joined by Godon (Netcompany INEOS), Hessmann (Movistar Team) and Azparren (Pinarello Q36.5).
The peloton regrouped ahead of the climb of Côte de Naves won by Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal Quick-Step) ahead of Matteo Jorgenson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike)
With continuous jostling, Sean Quinn (EF Education - EasyPost), Ganna (Netcompany INEOS), Van der Poel (Alpecin - Premier Tech), Castrillo (Movistar Team) and Izagirre (Cofidis) attempted to gain an advantage, imitated shortly after by Jorgenson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Simmons (Lidl - Trek), Carapaz (EF Education - EasyPost), Rubio (Movistar Team).
In a continuous reshuffling of cards, a small group of attackers formed consisting of Gee-West (Lidl - Trek), Simmons (Lidl - Trek), Baudin (EF Education - EasyPost), Foss (Netcompany INEOS), Paret-Peintre (Soudal Quick-Step), van der Poel (Alpecin - Premier Tech), Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), Castrillo (Movistar Team), Craps (Lotto Intermarché), Van Eetvelt (Lotto Intermarché), Izagirre (Cofidis), Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5), Braz Afonso (Groupama - FDJ United), Costiou (Groupama - FDJ United), Hirschi (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) and Jegat (TotalEnergies).
On the climb towards Suc au May, eight men remained in command: Gee-West (Lidl - Trek), Simmons (Lidl - Trek), Baudin (EF Education - EasyPost), van der Poel (Alpecin - Premier Tech), Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), Castrillo (Movistar Team), Van Eetvelt (Lotto Intermarché) and Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) with the Briton first over the climb. Pidcock repeated at the top of the Côte de la Croix where he preceded Van Eetvelt and his other breakaway companions while the Pogacar group was reported 1'00" behind.
In the final forty kilometers of the race, in addition to UAE Team Emirates, Netcompany also led the peloton and Ganna appeared in the front positions.
With the curtain falling on the ninth stage, the Grande Boucle will take a rest day tomorrow and on Tuesday, on French national holiday, it will restart from Aurillac towards Le Lioran with the Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates in the yellow jersey with a 2'42" advantage over Vingegaard and 3'27" over his teammate Del Toro.
FINISHING ORDER
1 101 VAN DER POEL Mathieu APT NED B:10" +00GENERAL RANKING
1 1 POGACAR Tadej UEX SLO 32:17:04" +00
2 11 VINGEGAARD Jonas TVL DEN 32:19:46" +2:42"
3 2 *DEL TORO Isaac UEX MEX 32:20:31" +3:27"
4 21 EVENEPOEL Remco RBH BEL 32:20:34" +3:30"
5 31 *AYUSO Juan LTK ESP 32:20:38" +3:34"
6 51 *SEIXAS Paul DCT FRA 32:20:59" +3:55"
7 25 LIPOWITZ Florian RBH GER 32:21:04" +4:00"
8 71 *MARTINEZ Lenny TBV FRA 32:21:25" +4:21"
9 35 SKJELMOSE Mattias LTK DEN 32:22:01" +4:57"
10 81 BERNAL Egan NCI COL 32:26:16" +9:12"
11 121 JOHANNESSEN Tobias UXM NOR 32:26:34" +9:30"
12 45 QUINN Sean EFE USA 32:26:39" +9:35"
13 171 PIDCOCK Tom PQT GBR 32:26:44" +9:40"
14 97 VAN WILDER Ilan SOQ BEL 32:26:49" +9:45"
15 18 *PIGANZOLI Davide TVL ITA 32:27:50" +10:46"
16 156 *VAN EETVELT Lennert LOI BEL 32:27:55" +10:51"
17 201 JEGAT Jordan TEN FRA 32:28:00" +10:56"
18 198 VOISARD Yannis TUD SUI 32:29:25" +12:21"
19 102 *DEBRUYNE Ramses APT BEL 32:30:19" +13:15"
20 17 KUSS Sepp TVL USA 32:30:37" +13:33"
21 142 *CASTRILLO Pablo MOV ESP 32:30:41" +13:37"
22 8 YATES Adam UEX GBR 32:31:35" +14:31"
23 41 CARAPAZ Richard EFE ECU 32:32:28" +15:24"
24 37 *VACEK Mathias LTK CZE 32:34:02" +16:58"
25 4 MCNULTY Brandon UEX USA 32:35:46" +18:42"
26 65 TEJADA Harold XAT COL 32:39:58" +22:54"
27 52 BENOOT Tiesj DCT BEL 32:43:21" +26:17"
28 16 JORGENSON Matteo TVL USA 32:49:58" +32:54"
29 57 PRODHOMME Nicolas DCT FRA 32:52:30" +35:26"
30 82 ARENSMAN Thymen NCI NED 32:54:16" +37:12"
31 38 VERONA Carlos LTK ESP 32:56:57" +39:53"
32 161 IZAGIRRE Ion COF ESP 32:57:49" +40:45"
33 88 *VAUQUELIN Kévin NCI FRA 32:58:01" +40:57"
34 186 MARTIN GUYONNET Guillaume GFC FRA 32:58:14" +41:10"
35 173 HARPER Christopher PQT AUS 32:59:35" +42:31"
36 43 *BAUDIN Alex EFE FRA 33:00:41" +43:37"
37 77 *TIBERI Antonio TBV ITA 33:01:25" +44:21"
38 3 GROSSSCHARTNER Felix UEX AUT 33:01:33" +44:29"
39 24 HINDLEY Jai RBH AUS '' ''
40 61 HIGUITA Sergio XAT COL 33:02:48" +45:44"
41 34 *SIMMONS Quinn LTK USA 33:04:42" +47:38"
42 228 PARRA Jose Felix CJR ESP 33:04:53" +47:49"
43 174 HERMANS Quinten PQT BEL 33:05:57" +48:53"
44 144 *GARCIA Raul MOV ESP 33:11:27" +54:23"
45 32 GEE Derek James LTK CAN 33:13:35" +56:31"
46 93 *PARET PEINTRE Valentin SOQ FRA 33:13:50" +56:46"
47 194 HIRSCHI Marc TUD SUI 33:16:24" +59:20"
48 148 RUBIO Einer MOV COL 33:21:46" +1:04:42"
49 126 SKAARSETH Anders UXM NOR 33:22:40" +1:05:36"
50 111 O'CONNOR Ben JAY AUS 33:22:50" +1:05:46"
51 7 WELLENS Tim UEX BEL 33:24:20" +1:07:16"
52 202 BREUILLARD Nicolas TEN FRA 33:24:37" +1:07:33"
53 203 DELBOVE Joris TEN FRA 33:24:44" +1:07:40"
54 183 BRAZ AFONSO Clément GFC FRA 33:25:38" +1:08:34"
55 28 VAN GILS Maxim RBH BEL 33:25:41" +1:08:37"
56 101 VAN DER POEL Mathieu APT NED 33:26:50" +1:09:46"
57 222 BALDERSTONE Abel CJR ESP 33:27:43" +1:10:39"
58 204 DELETTRE Alexandre TEN FRA 33:29:03" +1:11:59"
59 154 *CRAPS Lars LOI BEL 33:31:00" +1:13:56"
60 181 *GREGOIRE Romain GFC FRA 33:31:25" +1:14:21"
61 147 ROMO Javier MOV ESP 33:31:55" +1:14:51"
62 133 BENNETT George NSN NZL 33:32:00" +1:14:56"
63 33 PEDERSEN Mads LTK DEN 33:32:05" +1:15:01"
64 83 FOSS Tobias NCI NOR 33:32:10" +1:15:06"
65 22 CATTANEO Mattia RBH ITA 33:32:14" +1:15:10"
66 115 MATTHEWS Michael JAY AUS 33:32:24" +1:15:20"
67 176 MEURISSE Xandro PQT BEL 33:35:41" +1:18:37"
68 73 CARUSO Damiano TBV ITA 33:35:49" +1:18:45"
69 163 ARANBURU Alex COF ESP 33:36:56" +1:19:52"
70 56 PARET PEINTRE Aurélien DCT FRA 33:37:32" +1:20:28"
71 184 *COSTIOU Ewen GFC FRA 33:38:04" +1:21:00"
72 208 *VERCHER Matteo TEN FRA 33:38:30" +1:21:26"
73 158 ZIMMERMANN Georg LOI GER 33:40:39" +1:23:35"
74 146 OLIVEIRA Nelson MOV POR 33:40:51" +1:23:47"
75 94 STUYVEN Jasper SOQ BEL 33:41:08" +1:24:04"
76 218 VAN DEN BROEK Frank TPP NED 33:42:00" +1:24:56"
77 78 *VAN MECHELEN Vlad TBV BEL 33:42:37" +1:25:33"
78 14 CAMPENAERTS Victor TVL BEL 33:43:16" +1:26:12"
79 5 POLITT Nils UEX GER 33:43:53" +1:26:49"
80 206 *LE BERRE Mathis TEN FRA 33:44:01" +1:26:57"
81 47 VALGREN Michael EFE DEN 33:44:02" +1:26:58"
82 185 *GERMANI Lorenzo GFC ITA 33:44:40" +1:27:36"
83 42 ASGREEN Kasper EFE DEN 33:44:55" +1:27:51"
84 143 CEPEDA Jefferson MOV ECU 33:45:43" +1:28:39"
85 36 SKUJINS Toms LTK LAT 33:46:47" +1:29:43"
86 98 VERVAEKE Louis SOQ BEL 33:47:28" +1:30:24"
87 187 PACHER Quentin GFC FRA 33:47:52" +1:30:48"
88 223 BERWICK Sebastian CJR AUS 33:48:43" +1:31:39"
89 23 DENZ Nico RBH GER 33:49:05" +1:32:01"
90 58 *RICCITELLO Matthew DCT USA 33:49:42" +1:32:38"
91 195 PLUIMERS Rick TUD NED 33:52:42" +1:35:38"
92 118 SCHMID Mauro JAY SUI 33:53:00" +1:35:56"
93 153 *BERCKMOES Jenno LOI BEL 33:53:55" +1:36:51"
94 122 ABRAHAMSEN Jonas UXM NOR 33:54:42" +1:37:38"
95 177 VAN MOER Brent PQT BEL 33:55:11" +1:38:07"
96 76 STANNARD Robert TBV AUS 33:55:54" +1:38:50"
97 196 STORER Michael TUD AUS 33:56:09" +1:39:05"
98 188 RUSSO Clément GFC FRA 33:56:59" +1:39:55"
99 175 HOWSON Damien Craig PQT AUS 33:57:51" +1:40:47"
100 125 JOHANNESSEN Anders UXM NOR 33:57:58" +1:40:54"
101 117 PLAPP Luke JAY AUS 33:58:00" +1:40:56"
102 114 ENGELHARDT Felix JAY GER 33:58:05" +1:41:01"
103 75 MOHORIC Matej TBV SLO 33:58:40" +1:41:36"
104 123 CHARMIG Anthon UXM DEN 33:58:49" +1:41:45"
105 166 KIRSCH Alex COF LUX 33:59:09" +1:42:05"
106 44 HEALY Ben EFE IRL 33:59:56" +1:42:52"
107 26 TRATNIK Jan RBH SLO 34:01:42" +1:44:38"
108 124 CORT NIELSEN Magnus UXM DEN 34:02:04" +1:45:00"
109 211 BARGUIL Warren TPP FRA 34:02:07" +1:45:03"
110 145 *HEßMANN Michel MOV GER 34:02:30" +1:45:26"
111 106 PLANCKAERT Edward APT BEL 34:03:08" +1:46:04"
112 134 FRIGO Marco NSN ITA 34:03:12" +1:46:08"
113 205 GUERNALEC Thibault TEN FRA 34:03:18" +1:46:14"
114 113 DURBRIDGE Luke JAY AUS 34:03:24" +1:46:20"
115 172 AZPARREN IRURZUN Xabier PQT ESP 34:03:35" +1:46:31"
116 13 ARMIRAIL Bruno TVL FRA 34:03:38" +1:46:34"
117 108 *VERSTRYNGE Emiel APT BEL 34:04:00" +1:46:56"
118 48 *WALKER Max EFE GBR 34:04:13" +1:47:09"
119 66 TEUNISSEN Mike XAT NED 34:04:30" +1:47:26"
120 168 THOMAS Benjamin COF FRA 34:05:24" +1:48:20"
121 84 GANNA Filippo NCI ITA 34:06:24" +1:49:20"
122 15 *HAGENES Per Strand TVL NOR 34:07:05" +1:50:01"
123 207 TURGIS Anthony TEN FRA 34:07:08" +1:50:04"
124 95 VAN BAARLE Dylan SOQ NED 34:07:16" +1:50:12"
125 107 RICKAERT Jonas APT BEL 34:07:30" +1:50:26"
126 63 GATE Aaron Murray XAT NZL 34:07:32" +1:50:28"
127 191 ALAPHILIPPE Julian TUD FRA 34:07:56" +1:50:52"
128 86 KWIATKOWSKI Michal NCI POL 34:08:10" +1:51:06"
129 225 NICOLAU Joel CJR ESP 34:08:24" +1:51:20"
130 227 OTRUBA Jakub CJR CZE 34:08:32" +1:51:28"
131 46 *STEINHAUSER Georg EFE GER 34:08:51" +1:51:47"
132 6 VERMEERSCH Florian UEX BEL 34:09:21" +1:52:17"
133 67 VELASCO Simone XAT ITA 34:09:27" +1:52:23"
134 136 NEILANDS Krists NSN LAT 34:09:57" +1:52:53"
135 92 EENKHOORN Pascal SOQ NED 34:10:02" +1:52:58"
136 85 GODON Dorian NCI FRA 34:10:22" +1:53:18"
137 212 *BIESTERBOS Frits TPP NED 34:11:04" +1:54:00"
138 128 WAERENSKJOLD Soren UXM NOR 34:11:05" +1:54:01"
139 167 *PAGE Hugo COF FRA 34:13:29" +1:56:25"
140 54 HOOLE Daan DCT NED 34:13:33" +1:56:29"
141 68 *VINOKUROV Nicolya XAT KAZ 34:13:40" +1:56:36"
142 152 *ARTZ Huub LOI NED 34:14:10" +1:57:06"
143 178 WRIGHT Fred PQT GBR 34:15:13" +1:58:09"
144 64 KANTER Max XAT GER 34:16:27" +1:59:23"
145 131 GIRMAY Biniam NSN ERI 34:16:36" +1:59:32"
146 197 TRENTIN Matteo TUD ITA 34:17:17" +2:00:13"
147 226 OLDANI Stefano CJR ITA 34:18:10" +2:01:06"
148 138 VAN ASBROECK Tom NSN BEL 34:19:29" +2:02:25"
149 157 VEISTROFFER Baptiste LOI FRA 34:20:43" +2:03:39"
150 103 DILLIER Silvan APT SUI 34:20:46" +2:03:42"
151 105 PHILIPSEN Jasper APT BEL 34:21:56" +2:04:52"
152 27 VAN DIJKE Tim RBH NED 34:21:59" +2:04:55"
153 215 *DHONDT Robbe TPP BEL 34:22:20" +2:05:16"
154 216 MÄRKL Niklas TPP GER 34:22:47" +2:05:43"
155 164 BIERMANS Jenthe COF BEL 34:24:00" +2:06:56"
156 12 AFFINI Edoardo TVL ITA 34:24:51" +2:07:47"
157 104 MARSMAN Tim APT NED 34:25:37" +2:08:33"
158 87 *TARLING Joshua NCI GBR 34:26:06" +2:09:02"
159 213 *BITTNER Pavel TPP CZE 34:28:09" +2:11:05"
160 155 SLOCK Liam LOI BEL 34:28:29" +2:11:25"
161 165 *FRETIN Milan COF BEL 34:29:49" +2:12:45"
162 217 VAN DEN BERG Julius TPP NED 34:30:44" +2:13:40"
163 112 ACKERMANN Pascal JAY GER 34:30:51" +2:13:47"
164 137 STEWART Jake NSN GBR 34:31:02" +2:13:58"
165 214 DEGENKOLB John TPP GER 34:31:57" +2:14:53"
166 221 GAVIRIA Fernando CJR COL 34:32:34" +2:15:30"
167 91 MERLIER Tim SOQ BEL 34:32:54" +2:15:50"
168 72 BAUHAUS Phil TBV GER 34:33:29" +2:16:25"
169 132 *ASKEY Lewis NSN GBR 34:34:24" +2:17:20"
170 62 BALLERINI Davide XAT ITA 34:35:03" +2:17:59"
171 55 *KOOIJ Olav DCT NED 34:35:06" +2:18:02"
172 53 BOL Cees DCT NED 34:35:44" +2:18:40"
173 193 HALLER Marco TUD AUT 34:35:55" +2:18:51"
174 162 ALLEGAERT Piet COF BEL 34:36:31" +2:19:27"
175 74 GRADEK Kamil TBV POL 34:38:14" +2:21:10"
176 135 LOUVEL Matis NSN FRA 34:43:09" +2:26:05"
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