Tour de France: Stage 9 – Dan Martin Wins

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British born Irishman Dan Martin wins in the mountains on a day Yellow jersey Chris Froome is isolated and team Sky lose a valuable worker

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The first 80km of the ninth stage reminded everyone that although Sky is strong, it is fallible. In his first hours of racing in the yellow jersey, Chris Froome found himself under attack from the Movistar and Saxo-Tinkoff teams who relished the fact that the race leader was isolated without help from his right-hand man, Richie Porte.

Generally the action from the general classification candidates comes at the end of a mountain stage but today it happened right from the start. Garmin-Sharp was one of the main early aggressors but Movistar jumped on the fact Froome found himself all on his own. The big loss for Sky happened in the opening hour and Porte never recovered.

Even when the Tasmanian did get some momentum, Movistar rubbed salt into his wounds by accelerating at the front of the yellow jersey’s peloton. Porte would drop dramatically down the rankings after finishing 17’59” behind the stage winner!

Porte loss was one of the main stories of the stage as he would finish over 14 minutes behind and, more to the point, it demonstrated that Froome will not have the same sort of support that Sir Bradley Wiggins enjoyed in his winning campaign at the Tour in 2012.

2013_InYellowChrisFroomeTdF

Gains on general classification were made by a handful of riders and the Irish winner in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Dan Martin, wore the widest smile at the end of a stage on roads where he first saw a stage of the Tour de France in 1999 aged just 13. The Garmin-Sharp rider has come of age in 2013, winning one of cycling’s ‘monuments’ – Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April – and now he’s got a stage victory to his name as well as eighth place overall.

It happened on a day when Movistar was determined to prove that Sky won’t necessarily ride all the way to Paris unchallenged. Chris Froome held his nerve, marked his rivals, and finished the stage in 14th place. He was forced to fend for himself and it reminds us that anything can happen in a race like the Tour de France. Ahead likes a transfer to the north of France, a day of rest and the race resumes on Tuesday with the same leader but a new rider in second overall…

Dan Martin’s Day

From the first kilometre of stage nine there were attacks and the Garmin-Sharp team was one of the key protagnists. There was a plan being hatched on what was a remarkable final day in the Pyrenees for the 2013 Tour de France. Dan Martin was nominated by his team beforehand as the winner and he duly went out and finished off the job…

“Every win is important and special in its own way. It was such an incredible day today because this team Garmin-Sharp shows such a team spirit. Everyone gave 100 per cent today and some of the guys nearly missed the time limit because they gave so much for my victory. We decided this morning on the bus that I was going to try and win the stage and we’ve succeeded so it’s incredible.

“It’s hard to describe how it feels; it’s more relief actually because I knew I was the favourite coming into the sprint [against Jakob Fuglsang] and I was quite confident… but I still had to do it. So to come across the line knowing that I’ve won a stage of the Tour de France is amazing. In the end, the scale of the event wasn’t on my mind – it was just another bike race. I was so focussed on his wheel and beating that guy in the sprint that I didn’t even look behind once to see where the peloton was. It was just a case of focus on the finish line and get there first.

“I think there was a calmness that I developed in the sprint, rather than confidence. I’ve always had that sort of calmness, like when I won the ninth stage of the Vuelta it was much the same sort of feeling. In the big situations I seem to be able to relax very well and just be in control and it pays off.”

The stage
On the menu for Chris Froome’s first day as leader of the Tour de France is a relatively short stage from St-Girons to Bagnères-de-Bigorre that includes five mountain passes: the Portet d’Aspet (cat-2 at 28.5km), col de Mente (cat-1 at 44km), col de Peyresourde (cat-1 at 90km), col de Val Louron-Azet (cat-1 at 110.5km) and the steep grind up the Hourquette d’Ancizan (cat-1 at 138km).

The intermediate sprint was in Bagnères-de-Luchon (at 73km). The official start of the stage was at 11.33am with 185 riders at the sign on. The non-starters were Dennis (GRS) and Schar (BMC). There were attacks from the moment the stage began; the early aggressors included: van Garderen, Hoogerland, Roy, Albasini, Plaza, Chavanel, Martin (GRS) and Danielson. The peloton was essentially all together at the top the first climb but Jeannesson (FDJ) led the two attacking Garmin-Sharp riders to the line of the Portet d’Aspet.

Porte dropped on dramatic second climb
On the col de Mente, Evans (BMC) was the first GC rider to be dropped but he would soon be joined by the rider in second place overall, Porte (SKY) and Froome had to ride the second climb without any team support; Kennaugh had crashed before the first ascent and spent the early stanza of the race trying to rejoin the yellow jersey’s peloton that was composed of 33 riders including five from Saxo-Tinkoff (with Contador and Hernandez who were at the front and setting the pace).

Up ahead Trofimov (KAT) was on the attack with two Garmin-Sharp riders: Hesjedal and Danielson as well as Anton (EUS) and Rolland (EUC). Danielson was first over the col de Mente and the yellow jersey’s group – led by Quintana and Valverde (MOV) was at 55”. Porte crested the second climb 2’10” behind the stage leaders. On the descent, Evans rejoined Froome’s group that was led by a group including Gallopin, Kreuziger Castroviejo, Costa and Losada. Murayev (AST) quit the Tour at 60km.

Movistar animate the action with constant attacking
Valverde attacked the yellow jersey on the descent of the col de Mente but Froome was able to respond. Castrovejio waited for Valverde and Plaza had split the yellow jersey’s peloton with an attack in the valley with only Froome able to follow. By then five riders had formed at the front of the stage: Hesjedal, Rolland, De Clercq, Bardt and De Gendt… the latter of whom led over the line of the intermediate sprint (at 73km).

Just before Luchon, the Contador/Evans group caught the Movistar-led mob and there were five Saxo-Tinkoff riders, four from Movistar… but only one from Sky: Froome. They were 55” behind the stage leaders while Porte’s peloton (including Boasson Hagen, Stanndard and Kennaugh) was at 2’10”. Noval (TST) and Gutierrez (MOV) abandoned at the 78km mark.

Col de Peyresourde and Col de Val Louron-Azet
On the early slopes of the third climb, there were six in the lead: Bardet, De Clercq, Rolland, Bakelants, Hesjedal and De Gendt. They were 48” ahead of the yellow jersey who was still without any team support while Contador and Valverde were both assisted by four riders each. With 5km to climb, De Gendt was dropped by the lead group that was 50” ahead of the yellow jersey (with Porte’s peloton at 2’10”).

In the final 2km of the climb, Clarke (OGE) rode ahead of the peloton and caught De Gendt. The Australian attacked the descent led the stage with 70km to go. He began the Val Louron-Azet climb with a lead of 30” on the six early escapees, 1’45” on the yellow jersey and 3’30” on the Porte peloton.

With 5km to climb on the fourth ascent, Clarke was 20” ahead of Rolland, De Clercq and Bardet who had dropped Bakelants and Hesjedal (at 1’20”). Once Kennaugh had been dropped by his group (±90km), Porte started to bridge the gap to the yellow jersey’s group on his own. There were four Movistar riders in the yellow jersey bunch and once they realised Porte was closing in, they accelerated and Froome remained without any team support on a day the Movistar team proved to be the dominant force.

With 53km to go, Clarke was caught by Rolland’s trio. Porte joined forces with Gadret, Erviti, Velits and Mederel but hovered 2’30” behind the yellow jersey. With 40km to go, the yellow jersey’s group was 20” behind Clarke’s quartet; Porte group was 3’30” behind Froome’s group that was led by four Movistar riders.

Hourquette d’Ancizan
Bardet attacked the lead group at the base of the final climb but he was caught 38km from the finish. By then Clarke, Rolland and De Clercq had been caught and dropped by the yellow jersey’s group.

There were four Movistar riders in this group: Plaza, Valverde, Quintana and Costa… and Froome marked them closely as they pulled away from Porte’s selection that was at 4’45”. With 5km to climb, Martin (GRS) attacked and was chased down by Fuglsang (AST).

With 3km to climb, this pair led the yellow jersey’s peloton (of 15 riders, including: Froome, Evans, Schleck, Peraud, Contador, Kreuziger, Rodriguez, Nieve, Valverde, Castroviejo, Quintana, Navarro, Gesink, Ten Dam, Mollema, Poels and Serpa) by 20”. At the top, Martin and Fuglsang were ahead of Poels (VCD) by 33” and 45” ahead of the yellow jersey’s selection, led over the top by Kreuziger, Froome and Schleck. Porte was 11’50” behind and riding to the finish with Hesjedal and Trofimov.

Martin and Fuglsang lead the way: a victory for Garmin-Sharp
They bolted ahead with 5km to climb and would not be seen again until the finish: Martin was the rider who started the attack and he got great cooperation from Fuglsang all the way to the final kilometre.

By then the GC riders were out of contention: 30” behind. A little bit of tactical riding after the ‘Flamme Rouge’ cost Martin 10” of time but he rode from the back until the 250m to go when he opened his sprint and beat Fuglsang to win Garmin-Sharp’s first stage of the 100th Tour and the Irishman’s first. His success comes roughly on the same roads where he first watched the Tour as a child in 1999. He moved up from 13th overall to eighth.

Chris Froome rode almost the entire stage without a team-mate by his side but he finished the stage in 14th place in the same time as the other GC men – excluding, of course, Richie Porte – and the leader of Sky will wear the yellow jersey again when the Tour resumes in the north of France after a transfer and a day of rest.

2013_Podium_DanMartinTdF

 

On his first day as leader of the Tour de France the leader of Sky, Chris Froome, was under attack. He found himself isolated without any team-mates but he managed to mark his rivals and keep the yellow jersey…

Chris Froome:  “We’ve got a great team here but we have had a really hard day today. There’s a rest day tomorrow and we’ll definitely soak that up and come out again in force, hopefully, on Tuesday.

“That was really one of the hardest days that I’ve ever had on a bike but I’m just happy to still be in the yellow jersey. My team-mates made a huge effort yesterday and I think they were just paying for that effort today a bit. I was a little bit exposed there in the front group but I felt like I was riding quite within myself and I was happy that I was able to follow the biggest challenges.

“Credit where it’s due: the Movistar team really rode a good race today. They had a lot of riders in that front group and they did put me under pressure. That was quite hard being on my own there but I did feel as though I was riding within myself on the climb. Every team has got their own motive in the race and their own reasons to ride so there are a few races happening within the race.

“It’s quite normal for the leader to be a little isolated. My team-mates dug really deep yesterday to get me into the yellow jersey and today they paid a little bit for that but we also didn’t have a great start to the day with Pete Kennaugh crashing early on in the race and, obviously, the race wasn’t going to slow down for him to come back.

“Richie was doing quite a lot of work earlier on just covering the bigger attacks that were going and he actually helped me to get into the front group. He did a great job for me today and I think it’s quite normal that he wasn’t on the front – it’s good to see that he’s also human.

“It’s definitely a long way from being over. We’ve got two weeks of really hard racing ahead and we’re going to have to really fight for it like we did today. Other teams will test us all the way to Paris.”

STAGE 9
1 MARTIN Daniel Garmin – Sharp 04:43:03
2 FUGLSANG Jakob Astana Pro Team
3 KWIATKOWSKI Michal Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 00:20
4 MORENO FERNáNDEZ Daniel Katusha Team
5 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquim Katusha Team
6 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team
7 POELS Wout Vacansoleil – DCM
8 MOLLEMA Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling Team
9 NAVARRO GARCIA Daniel Cofidis Solutions Crédits
10 MONFORT Maxime RadioShack – Leopard
11 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro Movistar Team
12 SCHLECK Andy RadioShack – Leopard
13 CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto Team Saxo-Tinkoff
14 FROOME Christopher Sky Procycling
15 KREUZIGER Roman Team Saxo-Tinkoff
16 NIEVE ITURALDE Mikel Euskaltel – Euskadi
17 TEN DAM Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling Team
18 PERAUD Jean-Christophe AG2R La Mondiale
19 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander Movistar Team
20 COSTA Rui Movistar Team
21 DUPONT Hubert AG2R La Mondiale
22 GESINK Robert Belkin Pro Cycling Team 00:25
23 MORABITO Steve BMC Racing Team
24 BARDET Romain AG2R La Mondiale 03:54
25 IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Ion Euskaltel – Euskadi
26 ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor Euskaltel – Euskadi
27 GAUTIER Cyril Team Europcar
28 ROGERS Michael Team Saxo-Tinkoff
29 SERPA PEREZ Jose Rodolfo Lampre – Merida
30 CHAVANEL Sylvain Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 07:07
31 MALACARNE Davide Team Europcar
32 CUNEGO Damiano Lampre – Merida
33 TALANSKY Andrew Garmin – Sharp
34 DE CLERCQ Bart Lotto Belisol Team
35 PLAZA MOLINA Ruben Movistar Team
36 CLARKE Simon Orica GreenEDGE
37 BURGHARDT Marcus BMC Racing Team 07:57
38 ROLLAND Pierre Team Europcar
39 VOIGT Jens RadioShack – Leopard
40 LUTSENKO Aleksey Astana Pro Team
41 BAKELANTS Jan RadioShack – Leopard
42 VICHOT Arthur Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr 11:38
43 ASTARLOZA CHAURREAU Mikel Euskaltel – Euskadi
44 OROZ UGALDE Juan Jos̩ Euskaltel РEuskadi
45 LE MEVEL Christophe Cofidis Solutions Crédits
46 DIDIER Laurent RadioShack – Leopard
47 MEDEREL Maxime Sojasun
48 NORDHAUG Lars Petter Belkin Pro Cycling Team
49 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw Lampre – Merida
50 VELITS Peter Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
51 DUMOULIN Tom Team Argos – Shimano
52 GASPAROTTO Enrico Astana Pro Team
53 ERVITI OLLO Imanol Movistar Team
54 CASTROVIEJO Jonathan Movistar Team
55 HERNáNDEZ BLAZQUEZ Jesús Team Saxo-Tinkoff
56 GADRET John AG2R La Mondiale
57 VORGANOV Eduard Katusha Team
58 VANMARCKE Sep Belkin Pro Cycling Team 17:59
59 HESJEDAL Ryder Garmin – Sharp
60 PORTE Richie Sky Procycling
61 TROFIMOV Yuri Katusha Team
62 TANKINK Bram Belkin Pro Cycling Team 18:59
63 VUILLERMOZ Alexis Sojasun
64 LAGUTIN Sergey Vacansoleil – DCM
65 FROHLINGER Johannes Team Argos – Shimano
66 DE GENDT Thomas Vacansoleil – DCM
67 GERRANS Simon Orica GreenEDGE
68 BRUTT Pavel Katusha Team 20:26
69 FISCHER Murilo Antonio Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr
70 REZA Kevin Team Europcar
71 VEILLEUX David Team Europcar
72 GALLOPIN Tony RadioShack – Leopard
73 QUINZIATO Manuel BMC Racing Team
74 TOSATTO Matteo Team Saxo-Tinkoff
75 BAK Lars Ytting Lotto Belisol Team
76 FEDRIGO Pierrick Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr
77 MOREIRA PAULINHO Sergio Miguel Team Saxo-Tinkoff
78 KUSCHYNSKI Aleksandr Katusha Team
79 LOSADA ALGUACIL Alberto Katusha Team
80 AMADOR BAKKAZAKOVA Andrey Movistar Team
81 ROJAS GIL Jose Joaquin Movistar Team 22:43
82 BOOKWALTER Brent BMC Racing Team
83 MATE MARDONES Luis Angel Cofidis Solutions Crédits
84 MORI Manuele Lampre – Merida
85 SABATINI Fabio Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
86 VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC Racing Team
87 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar RadioShack – Leopard
88 GILBERT Philippe BMC Racing Team
89 SMUKULIS Gatis Katusha Team
90 IMPEY Daryl Orica GreenEDGE
91 ALBASINI Michael Orica GreenEDGE
92 GAVAZZI Francesco Astana Pro Team
93 WYNANTS Maarten Belkin Pro Cycling Team
94 FLECHA Juan Antonio Vacansoleil – DCM
95 MINARD Sébastien AG2R La Mondiale
96 BENNATI Daniele Team Saxo-Tinkoff
97 HANSEN Adam Lotto Belisol Team
98 FEILLU Brice Sojasun
99 GESCHKE Simon Team Argos – Shimano
100 DEGENKOLB John Team Argos – Shimano
101 KENNAUGH Peter Sky Procycling
102 THOMAS Geraint Sky Procycling
103 TRENTIN Matteo Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
104 DE MARCHI Alessandro Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
105 SAGAN Peter Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
106 DANIELSON Thomas Garmin – Sharp
107 JEANNESSON Arnold Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr
108 ROY Jérémy Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr
109 ARASHIRO Yukiya Team Europcar
110 HOOGERLAND Johnny Vacansoleil – DCM 25:12
111 KOREN Kristjan Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
112 SIMON Julien Sojasun
113 WILLEMS Frederik Lotto Belisol Team
114 O’GRADY Stuart Orica GreenEDGE
115 KL̦DEN Andr̩as RadioShack РLeopard
116 EL FARES Julien Sojasun
117 BOOM Lars Belkin Pro Cycling Team
118 MARANGONI Alan Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
119 SICARD Romain Euskaltel – Euskadi
120 FAVILLI Elia Lampre – Merida
121 TUFT Svein Orica GreenEDGE
122 TAARAMäE Rein Cofidis Solutions Crédits
123 CURVERS Roy Team Argos – Shimano
124 MOSER Moreno Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
125 TIMMER Albert Team Argos – Shimano
126 LEVARLET Guillaume Cofidis Solutions Crédits
127 KITTEL Marcel Team Argos – Shimano
128 GOSS Matthew Orica GreenEDGE
129 LANCASTER Brett Orica GreenEDGE
130 PINOT Thibaut Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr
131 MEYER Cameron Orica GreenEDGE
132 KADRI Blel AG2R La Mondiale
133 GENIEZ Alexandre Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr
134 MARTIN Tony Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
135 HIVERT Jonathan Sojasun
136 GENE Yohann Team Europcar
137 TERPSTRA Niki Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 26:20
138 FERRARI Roberto Lampre – Merida
139 STANNARD Ian Sky Procycling
140 BODNAR Maciej Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
141 CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
142 VAN POPPEL Danny Vacansoleil – DCM
143 GREIPEL Andre Lotto Belisol Team
144 VANDBORG Brian Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
145 GARCíA ETXEGIBEL Egoitz Cofidis Solutions Crédits
146 DE KORT Koen Team Argos – Shimano
147 VEELERS Tom Team Argos – Shimano
148 IRIZAR ARANBURU Markel RadioShack – Leopard
149 VAN POPPEL Boy Vacansoleil – DCM
150 STEEGMANS Gert Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
151 CIMOLAI Davide Lampre – Merida
152 HENDERSON Gregory Lotto Belisol Team
153 SIEBERG Marcel Lotto Belisol Team
154 RIBLON Christophe AG2R La Mondiale
155 BAUER Jack Garmin – Sharp
156 ROCHE Nicolas Team Saxo-Tinkoff
157 LEMOINE Cyril Sojasun
158 WESTRA Lieuwe Vacansoleil – DCM
159 BONNET William Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr
160 COUSIN Jérôme Team Europcar
161 COPPEL Jérome Cofidis Solutions Crédits
162 KRISTOFF Alexander Katusha Team
163 MILLAR David Garmin – Sharp
164 DELAPLACE Anthony Sojasun
165 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald Sky Procycling
166 LOPEZ GARCIA David Sky Procycling
167 SIUTSOU Kanstantsin Sky Procycling
168 MOINARD Amaël BMC Racing Team
169 ROELANDTS Jurgen Lotto Belisol Team
170 LEEZER Tom Belkin Pro Cycling Team
171 BOECKMANS Kris Vacansoleil – DCM
172 VOECKLER Thomas Team Europcar
173 LOBATO DEL VALLE Juan Jose Euskaltel – Euskadi
174 PEREZ MORENO Ruben Euskaltel – Euskadi
175 PINEAU J̩rome Omega Pharma РQuick-Step
176 MARINO Jean Marc Sojasun
177 MOLARD Rudy Cofidis Solutions Crédits
178 NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas Garmin – Sharp
179 MURAVYEV Dmitriy Astana Pro Team
180 DUMOULIN Samuel AG2R La Mondiale
181 IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka Euskaltel – Euskadi
182 BAZAYEV Assan Astana Pro Team
Outside time limite: KIRYIENKA Vasil Sky Procycling
Overall
1 FROOME Christopher Sky Procycling 12:59:18
2 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro Movistar Team 01:25
3 MOLLEMA Bauke Belkin Pro Cycling Team 01:44
4 TEN DAM Laurens Belkin Pro Cycling Team 01:50
5 KREUZIGER Roman Team Saxo-Tinkoff 01:51
6 CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto Team Saxo-Tinkoff
7 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander Movistar Team 02:02
8 MARTIN Daniel Garmin – Sharp 02:28
9 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquim Katusha Team 02:31
10 COSTA Rui Movistar Team 02:45
11 NIEVE ITURALDE Mikel Euskaltel – Euskadi 02:55
12 FUGLSANG Jakob Astana Pro Team 03:07
13 KWIATKOWSKI Michal Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 03:25
14 PERAUD Jean-Christophe AG2R La Mondiale 03:29
15 SCHLECK Andy RadioShack – Leopard 04:00
16 EVANS Cadel BMC Racing Team 04:36
17 MORENO FERNáNDEZ Daniel Katusha Team
18 ROGERS Michael Team Saxo-Tinkoff 06:14
19 ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor Euskaltel – Euskadi 06:40
20 BARDET Romain AG2R La Mondiale 07:09
21 MONFORT Maxime RadioShack – Leopard 07:55
22 TALANSKY Andrew Garmin – Sharp 09:35
23 POELS Wout Vacansoleil – DCM 09:45
24 SERPA PEREZ Jose Rodolfo Lampre – Merida 09:54
25 NAVARRO GARCIA Daniel Cofidis Solutions Crédits 10:30
26 ROLLAND Pierre Team Europcar 12:34
27 MALACARNE Davide Team Europcar 14:27
28 CHAVANEL Sylvain Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 14:35
29 BAKELANTS Jan RadioShack – Leopard 15:52
30 GADRET John AG2R La Mondiale 16:27

Green Jersey: Peter Sagan
White Jersey: Nairo Quintana
KoM: Pierre Rolland

 

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