Tour de France stage 9 Live – Puncheur potential and GC panic on the gravel

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) holds onto yellow going into the rest day with some lumpy stages incoming before bringing the second week to a close in the Pyrenees, there is still everything to play for. 

It is Turgis’s (TEN) biggest win of his career and only his seventh in all. A massive moment for TotalEnergies too as they have struggled with results at the top tier. 

While it was for the minor placings, it was great to see some battling between the green jersey, Biniam Girmay (IWA), Michael Matthews (JAY) and world champion, Mathieu van der Poel (ADC). They weren’t quite able to get to the leaders. 

Jerseys going into the first rest day

Yellow – Tadej Pogačar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates
Green – Biniam Girmay (ERI) Intermarche-Wanty
Polka dots – Jonas Abrahamsen (NOR) Uno-X Mobility
White – Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Soudal-QuickStep

GC after week one

1. Tadej Pogačar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 35:42’42”
2. Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Soudal-QuickStep +33″
3. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Visma-Lease a Bike +1’15”
4. Primož Roglič (SLO) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe +1’36”
5. Juan Ayuso (ESP) UAE Team Emirates +2’16”
6. João Almeida (POR) UAE Team Emirates +2’17”
7. Carlos Rodríguez (ESP) Ineos Grenadiers +2’31”
8. Mikel Landa (ESP) Soudal-QuickStep +3’35”
9. Derek Gee (CAN) Israel-Premier Tech +4’02”
10. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a BIke +4’03”

Stage 9 top 10

1. Anthony Turgis (FRA) TotalEnergies 4:19’43”
2. Tom Pidcock (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers
3. Derek Gee (CAN) Israel-Premier Tech
4. Alex Aranburu (ESP) Movistar
5. Ben Healy (IRE) EF Education-EasyPost
6. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Qazaqstan all S.T.
7. Javier Romo (ESP) Movistar +12″
8. Jasper Stuyven (BEL) Lidl-Trek +18″
9. Biniam Girmay (ERI) Intermarche-Wanty +1’17”
10. Michael Matthews (AUS) Jayco-AlUla S.T.

Ackermann (IPT) leads in the peloton. 

Girmay (IWA) leads in the chase group and adds more green jersey points to his name. 

Anthony Turgis of TotalEnergies wins stage nine of the Tour de France 2024! 

Attack with 700m to go

Ben Healy (EFE)

But Artanburu (MOV), Turgis (TEN) and Pidcock (IGD) are perfectly placed. 

Flamme Rouge

Lutsenko (AST) dragging Stuyven (LTK) back as Romo (MOV) is dropped. 

Attack in chase

Ben Healy (EFE)
Derek Gee (IPT)

Why Romo (MOV) isn’t giving 100% for Aranburu (MOV), I do not know. Gee (IPT) and Healy (EFE) are pulling away. 

2km to go, now. 9″ is the gap given. 

3km to go for Jasper Stuyven (LTK) and he has just over a handful of sectors on the chase. He hasn’t won since he took Milano-Sanremo in 2021. 

Matthews attacks the Van der Poel (ADC) group with the world champion dragging himself and the rest of that group back to the Australian rider. 

Stuyven (LTK) still has a gap of just 8″ gap on the chasers. A minute back to the Van der Poel (ADC) group and then 1’15” to the GC group. 

5km to go

All the GC big names make it out of the gravel with Primož Roglič (RBH) likely breathing a big sigh of relief as he has had a very tough day. 

The gravel is done for Stuyven (LTK). The chase is led by Pidcock (IGD). 

Pogačar (UAD) accelerates yet again and makes a small gap with Vingegaard (TVL) and Ackermann (IPT) as Abrahamson (UXM) caught. 

Attack

Remco Evenepoel (SOQ)
Tadej Pogačar (UAD)
Jonas Vingegaard (TVL)
Carlos Rodriguez (IGD)

But the rest can follow for now. 

Attack

Tadej Pogačar (UAD)
Jonas Vingegaard (TVL)

Evenepoel (SOQ) far better placed this time and he is closed down. 

Saint-Parres-aux-Tertres (Final gravel sector)

The final gravel sector and Stuyven (LTK) has 8″ advantage. 

10km to go

Stuyven (LTK) may have got the winning move here, unless they work hard behind. 

Attack in break

Jasper Stuyven (LTK)

He goes solo and a rider of his ability going solo is very hard to drag back. Gee (IPT), Lutsenko (AST) and Healy (EFE) try to get away too but they don’t get the gap. 

Attack in break

Derek Gee (IPT)
Tom Pidcock (IGD)
Alex Aranburu (MOV)

Turgis (TEN) drags it back. 

Attack in peloton

Pello Bilbao (TBV)
Jonas Abrahamson (UXM)

Visma-Lease a Bike lead the way.

Attack in break

Alexey Lutsenko (AST)
Jasper Stuyven (LTK)
Alex Aranburu (MOV)

That is quickly brought back. 

Montaulin à Rouilly-Saint-Loup (13th gravel sector)

Anthony Turgis (TEN) attacks!

He is being chased down by Gee (IPT) and the rest. 

Matthews (JAY) leads the chase group on.

Visma-Lease a Bike lead onto the sector for the GC riders. A group that, amazingly, includes Pascal Ackermann (IPT)!

Pogačar (UAD) sits up and they wait for the chasers. 

Pogačar (UAD) flicks the elbow but Jorgenson (TVL) and Vingegaard (TVL) do not come through. The yellow jersey continues to push, though. He could be getting key time on Evenepoel (SOQ) and Roglič (RBH) who are in the group together now with Bilbao (TBV) and rodriguez (IGD) who have also rejoined. 

Jorgenson (TVL) drags Vingegaard (TVL) back to Pogačar (UAD). 

Evenepoel (SOQ) in a group of four. Unfortunately for him, they are Ayuso (UAD), Almeida (UAD) and Laporte (TVL). 

Daudes (12th gravel sector)

Jorgenson (TVL) now called back by Vingegaard (TVL) as Laporte (TVL) can do no more for his leader. 

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) has Jorgenson (TVL) on his wheel then its Laporte (TVL) and Vingegaard (TVL) and then the rest. 

Laporte and Jorgenson have dropped Vingegaard for the moment but they could repair this as Laporte waints for the Visma-Lease a Bike leader. 

Attack

Tadej Pogačar (UAD)

Every GC rider is distanced apart from Vingegaard (TVL) and his teeammates. 

Tiller (UXM) almost losing control in the chase group with Girmay (IWA) also losing contact. 

Van Aert (TVL) and Politt (UAD) battling for the lead of the peloton as they head to the next gravel sector. 

Attack

Ben Healy (EFE)

Everyone is able to follow for now. This sector apparently has 3cm deep gravel. 

Verrières (11th gravel sector)

Just four more sectors to go. 51″ back to the chasers and 1’47” to the peloton. 

Kwiatkowski is doing a wonderful job of keeeping Rodriguez and Bernal right up to the front for Ineos Grenadiers with another one of their riders sat in the wheels too. 

Once again, Wellens (UAD) comes to the front. He has Pogačar (UAD) on his wheel with Vingegaard (TVL) glued to the yellow jersey’s back wheel. 

Fresnoy-Le-Château à Clérey (10th Gravel Sector)

The gravel is coming thick and fast now for the riders. 

30km to go

The Van der Poel (ADC) group has closed the gap by about 20″ to the leaders. 

Politt (UAD) has reappeared in the peloton and is giving his all on the front now as they hit the gravel. 

Ru de Paradis (Ninth gravel sector)

The break are holding off the chasers for the moment at around a minute with the peloton losing a further 20″ to the chasers and the leaders. 

Bahrain Victorious now come up to the front along with Lidl-Trek interstingly. Maybe for Bilbao (TBV) and Ciccone (LTK). 

The ‘Big Four’ teams lead the peloton along with Ineos Grenadiers also there. They are just keeping safe for he moment and not pushing too hard. 

Costa (EFE) is now sitting on in the chase group as he, of course, has Healy in the lead group. They are just over a minute behind the leaders and a minute ahead of the peloton. 

Attack

Michael Matthews (JAY)
Rasmus Tiller (UXM)
Mathieu van der Poel (ADC)
Biniam Girmay (IWA)
Rui Costa (EFE)
Jakob Fuglsang (IPT)
David Gaudu (GFC)

They’re being chased by Guillaume Martin (COF). 

Incredible visuals today. 

Jonas Vinegegaard (TVL) went quite wide on one of the bends but just ran onto the grass and was fine. Van der Poel (ADC) moving closer and closer to the front of the peloton with each gravel sector. 

Javier Romo (MOV) almost binning it as they exit the latest sector. The former triathlete has been superb today. 

The TV cameras show Vlasov and the side he fell on and he is covered in blood with lots of rips in his kit. 

Briel-sur-Barse (Eighth sector of gravel)

This is yet another brutal sector that is full of large rocks. Visma-Lease a Bike lead onto the sector. 

50km to go

Vlasov (RBH) is back riding. It is very difficult in the moment to do a concussion protocol. The doctor’s car is now keeping an eye on him. 

Crash!

Aleksandr Vlasov (RBH)

He was very wobbly when he got back to his feet and looked very dazed. The mechanic not doing the concussion protocol at all. 

The peloton’s pace stalls and Van Aert (TVL) returns. Evenepoel (SOQ) has moved up once again with Landa (SOQ) looking after him. 

Stuyven (LTK) was dragged back by the rest of the breakaway. 

Van Aert (TVL) is now off the back after some monster turns for Vingegaard. Vlasov (RBH), Gall (DAT) and Zingle (COF) in his group. 

Attack in break

Jasper Stuyven (LTK) 

The European gravel champion accelerates but he is being chased down. 

Evenepoel (SOQ) makes it back on and can try to relax for a moment. 

Evenepoel (SOQ), Mas (MOV) and Gall (DAT) isare almost back on as Van Aert (TVL) continues to set the pace for Vingegaard (TVL). 

Problems for Remco Evenepoel (SOQ)! He was caught out at the back of the GC group and is now well off the back with Mas (MOV) and Gall (DAT). 

Visma-Lease a Bike win the fight to lead onto the sector but Wellens (UAD) jumps in there. 

Thieffrain à Magnant (seventh gravel sector)

This is an extremely rocky sector with Pidcock (IGD) unsurprisingly leading the break as the chasers make it back to the leaders. 

Jonas Vingegaard (TVL) is still on teammate, Jan Tratnik’s bike. They basically have the same set up but it’ll be a bit uncomfortable for him. 

60km to go

Mathieu van der Poel (ADC) has just been lurking in the peloton and looking very good. He is likely biding his time and will launch a big move in maybe 20km time. 

Wellens now joined by Yates for UAE Team Emirates on the front of whats left of the peloton. 

Laporte (TVL) and Wellens (TVL) leading but now Van Aert (TVL) and Jorgenson (TVL) also move up. 

Plateau de la côte des Bar (Gravel sector six)

The next gravel sector starts now. The Plateau de la côte des Bar. The five leaders are a very strong five who may be able to get a good gap here. 

70km to go

The peloton are allowing almost a minute to the break again. 

The GC group is about to swell with the Girmay (IWA) group working their way back onto the UAE Team Emirates led bunch with Wellens, Almeida and Ayuso tapping out a rhythm. 

And the chasing group are back with the top three men. Evenepoel (SOQ) is furious with Vingegaard (TVL). 

Attack in break

Gee (IPT), Healy (EFE), Pidcock (IGD), Lutsenko (AST) and a couple of others as the GC favourites have wrecked the break. All the original breakaway riders are now just riding away from the top three riders. 

Pogačar (UAD), Evenepoel (SOQ) and Vingegaard (TVL) catch the breakaway! Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe lead the chase behind. 

Vingegaard (TVL) is doing no work unlike Evenepoel (SOQ) and Pogačar (UAD). They are about to catch the breakaway. 

The brief break of gravel didn’t last long with Evenepoel (SOQ) going just before it restarted again. Now they are back on the asphalt and Pogačar (UAD) drags Vingegaard (TVL) up to Evenepoel (SOQ). 

Attack

Tadej Pogačar (UAD)
Jonas Vingegaard (TVL)

Now Primož Roglič (RBH) is on the back foot yet again!

Attack

Remco Evenepoel (SOQ)

The former world champion launches and this will throw the cat amongst the pigeons. Visma-Lease a Bike continue to set the tempo and don’t panic. 

The gravel is now done for this climb but the slopes are now 18.5%! Pidcock (IGD) takes the one point. 

Van Aert (TVL) is giving his all for Vingegaard now with Jorgenson and Laporte ready and waiting too. 

Vingegaard (TVL), Pogačar (UAD), Evenepoel (SOQ) and Roglič (RBH) all at the front of the peloton this time.

80km to go

55″ between the break and the peloton. 

This time, the peloton is led onto the climb by Visma-Lease a Bike with UAE Team Emirates following in the wheels. De Lie (LTD) immediately dropped. 

Onto the next climb which is also gravelled. The Côte de Chacenay. Max gradient of 9% on the gravel. 

De Lie (LTD) makes it back in the peloton along with Bardet (DFP) but he is unlikely to be involved in the finale. 

The breakaway have now upped their gap to over a minute as they continue to work well together. They have given their all today. Israel-Premier Tech tell Gee to take it easy in the break. 

Arnaud De Lie (LTD) starting to really struggle to hold onto the peloton, maybe suffering from his earlier efforts up the road. Mistakes definitely made. 

Attack

Tadej Pogačar (UAD)

The yellow jersey used a descent to create a gap and now he has been joined by Remco Evenepoel (SOQ) as well as Laporte and Jorgenson of Visma-Lease a Bike and they have now sat up as the TVL riders were sitting in. 

Alexey Lutsenko (AST) takes the one point at the top of the climb. 

The race is really on in the peloton now. 

Lazkano (MOV) has obviously had some issues as he has been dropped from the break and now is at the back of the peloton. 

Nils Politt (UAD) now takes over on the front of the bunch on the gravel and, finally, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have their man, Primož Roglič, well placed. 

Israel-Premier Tech, Ineos Grenadiers and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe join UAE Team Emirates on the front of the peloton as Gee (IPT) leads the break onto one of the hardest sectors, the three star Côte de Val Frion.

Bike change

Jasper Philipsen (ADC)

He takes Robbe Ghys’s bike. 

UAE Team Emirates are really pushing the tempo now with Soler and Wellens giving their all for Pogačar. 

Vingegaard (TVL) having to move up himself all on his own despite having multiple teammates in the group. That is what caused the split in the peloton. 

Bike change

Jonas Vingegaard (TVL)

Jan Tratnik (TVL) has given his leader his bike as Tratnik is now waiting for a bike change. 

UAE Team Emirates up the pace and the peloton splits and Primož Roglič (RBH) has just missed the split but the chase is rapid and closed down very quickly. 

All the big names are better placed but Primož Roglič (RBH) could do with moving up again. 

Amazingly, Sam Bennett (DAT) has only now been dropped. Quite the ride from the Irishman. 

100km to go

Van Gils (LTD) and Romo (MOV) are really upping the pace but their time gap is plummeting as the peloton start the next sector too. 

Hautes Forêts (Gravel sector three)

Romo (MOV) leads onto the gravel but Aranburu (MOV) has a mechanical at the back of the lead group. 

UAE Team Emirates, Visma-Lease a Bike, Ineos Grenadiers, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe as well as Uno-x Mobility now working on the front of the peloton. 

The peloton calms down a bit now with no new moves. The break’s advantage is slowly starting to grow again. 

More new attacks coming out of the peloton with Van der Poel (ADC) and Abrahamsen (UXM) involved. 

110km to go

The gap between the break and the peloton is now +1’37”. 

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe get Sobrero and Vlasov back along with Hindley to help their leader. 

The Bardet (DFP) group are about to get dragged back again. 

Simon Yates (JAY), Felix Gall (DAT) and David Gaudu (GFC) are around a minute down from the regathered GC group. 

Primož Roglič (RBH) is chasing on the front himself! They have lost Sobrero and Vlasov who are dropped and he only has Hindley now as he makes it back again. 

Primož Roglič (RBH) and co are now just 10″ behind the main GC group. 

The intermediate sprint happens now but no-one is interested in this and all the points will be taken by the break. Anthony Turgis (TEN) takes the 20 points. 

Bizarrely, Aleksandr Vlasov (RBH) is sat at the back of the peloton and not committing to work for Primož Roglič (RBH). Maybe he’s waiting for bottles, but he is 10th in GC. 

Since Turner (IGD) and Moscon (SOQ) joined Kelderman (TVL), the gap to Primož Roglič (RBH) has gone out to 20″ again. 

Gianni Moscon (SOQ) is on the front working for Evenepoel (SOQ) along with Visma-Lease a Bike and Turner (IGD). 

Just 20″ between the GC group and the Primož Roglič (RBH) group that includes the green jersey of Biniam Girmay (IWA) as well as 8th place Mikel Landa (SOQ) and Wout Van Aert (TVL). 

120km to go

The radio from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe telling Primož Roglič and his teammates that they have a good amount of time to get back to the GC group with around 20km to the next gravel sector. 

Gaps from the break…

Bardet (DFP) chase group +1’24”

Yellow jersey group +1’50”

Primož Roglič group +2’19”

Ben Turner (IGD) now moves up to help Visma-Lease a Bike as Rodriguez (IGD) can gain at least one place in GC now that Primož Roglič (RBH) is caught out. 

UAE Team Emirates have regathered…