Anthony Turgis, a Frenchman, emerged victorious from a long breakaway through the dusty gravel roads to claim the ninth stage of the Tour de France on Sunday. The stage, marked by a frantic pace and challenging terrain, saw Turgis hold off his rivals in a sprint finish, securing the biggest win of his career. He edged out Tom Pidcock and Derek Gee in the Champagne city of Troyes.
“It’s incredible, it was a long time since I did not win,” said Turgis. “It was a long day, the team put its trust in me by giving me carte blanche today. I dedicate this win to all the people who trusted me.”
While Turgis was celebrating his triumph, race leader Tadej Pogacar was relentlessly on the attack, but his efforts failed to yield any significant gains over his closest competitors for the yellow jersey. Pogacar, known for his prowess on challenging terrain, had previously won the Strade Bianche twice and displayed his strength throughout the stage. Despite his numerous attacks, he was unable to extend his lead.
The overall standings remained largely unchanged, with Pogacar holding onto his 33-second advantage over Remco Evenepoel. Jonas Vingegaard, the two-time defending champion, stayed in third place, 1:15 behind Pogacar. Primoz Roglic, while facing challenges, managed to bridge gaps and maintain his fourth-place overall standing, 1:36 behind Pogacar.
The peloton will have a much-needed rest day on Monday before resuming the race. The Tour paid tribute to Norwegian rider Andre Drege, who tragically died after crashing in a downhill during the Tour of Austria on Saturday. The Norwegian team Uno-X Mobility honored his memory by arriving at the start line five minutes ahead of the other riders, with the rest of the peloton observing a moment of silence in his honor.
The stage was characterized by a series of attacks from the start. A group of 10 riders, including Turgis, managed to break away before the first gravel sector and were joined by several counterattackers. The race became congested at the foot of a steep segment of white roads, forcing many riders to dismount and run uphill. Vingegaard and Pogacar avoided the bottleneck, but Roglic was caught behind, lagging about 30 seconds before regaining his position.
Later, Vingegaard experienced a mechanical issue, but his teammate, Jan Tratnik, provided him with his bike. Taking advantage of the situation, Pogacar accelerated, followed by Evenepoel. The duo, however, couldn’t break away from the pack, and Vingegaard’s Visma Lease A Bike teammates moved to the front to maintain the frantic pace.
The battle between the main contenders intensified when Evenepoel launched an attack with 78 kilometers remaining on the Côte de Chacenay. Pogacar and Vingegaard, unfazed, chased him down, but Roglic was unable to follow. Vingegaard, still riding his teammate’s bike, declined to take his turn in the lead as the trio joined the main break. This refusal to collaborate left Evenepoel dejected.
Pogacar made another attempt to break away with about 20 kilometers to go, but Evenepoel and Roglic were unable to match his pace. Vingegaard, with the assistance of teammate Matteo Jorgenson, stayed close. Despite this, Vingegaard again refused to take the lead, prompting Pogacar to abandon his effort.
With eight kilometers remaining, Pogacar made one final attempt to surge ahead, but once again, Vingegaard responded. The tension remained high until the finish line, where Turgis emerged victorious after a grueling day of racing through the challenging gravel roads.
