Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar widens the gap, Ben O'Connor wins a daunting 9th stage
Australian Ben O'Connor moved after his solo victory on the 9th stage of the Tour de France, July 4, 2021. AP - Pete Goding
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
4 min
The second mountain stage of this 2021 Grande Boucle, between Cluses and Tignes on Sunday, saw the Australian Ben O'Connor win solo.
After his demonstration on Saturday, the yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar increased his lead in the general classification, while Primoz Roglic and Mathieu van der Poel abandoned the Tour.
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This 9th stage started with several cold showers.
A literally one, with freezing rain in the heights of Auverge-Rhône-Alpes, and therefore very complicated weather conditions for the peloton.
The others in a figurative sense, with two major dropouts.
We first learned of the abandonment of Primoz Roglic, second in the 2020 edition. The Slovenian, victim of a fall during the 3rd stage, was greatly diminished.
"
There is no point in continuing like this,
" he said.
Then, it was Mathieu van der Poel who decided to throw in the towel, also before the start.
The Dutchman, yellow jersey for six days, prefers to focus on the Tokyo Olympics (July 23 to August 8).
O'Connor "was awesome"
Under very low temperatures and in a surprising fog at the beginning of July, a newcomer to the Tour de France has done well. Ben O'Connor, 25, lined up for the first time in this Classic, won alone. The AG2R-Citroën rider made a strong impression and even virtually grabbed the yellow jersey at one point. But Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates) did not let him.
Leader since Saturday and his recital between Oyonnax and Le Grand-Bornand, the winner of 2020 ensured in this second mountain stage.
His attack, four kilometers from the finish, extinguished the hopes of a yellow jersey from Ben O'Connor.
The latter "
was impressive
", confided the Slovenian at the microphone of France 2. O'Connor thus forced him to "
put the rubber on the last kilometers to keep this little lion
", he slipped, in showing the small soft toy offered to the leader.
🇫🇷 @LeTour
Du kid de Perth to stage winner on @LeTour
The boy from Perth to a stage winner in Tignes # AG2RCITROËNTEAM #RoulonsAutrement #RideDifferently pic.twitter.com/tRTUzyV2vl
- AG2R CITROËN TEAM (@ AG2RCITROENTEAM) July 4, 2021
Pogacar without rival
Nairo Quintana, victim of a failure, was unable to join in the fight. The Colombian consoles himself, for the moment, with the polka-dot jersey of the best climber. Geraint Thomas finished far, like Alejandro Valverde. Before Monday's rest day, the contours of this Tour de France 2021 are quite clear: there is Tadej Pogacar and there are the others, quite clearly inferior. No one could argue about the leader's superiority, while three riders retired during the stage: Tim Merlier, Nans Peters and Jasper De Buyst.
Winner of the stage ahead of the Italians Mattia Cattaneo (at 5'07) and Sonny Colbrelli (at 5'34), the French Guillaume Martin (at 5'36) and Franck Bonnamour (at 6'02), and finally the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (6'02), Ben O'Connor is now second in the general classification.
Colombian Rigoberto Uran (EF Pro Cycling) is third.
Tadej Pogacar caracole in the lead with 2'01 ahead of O'Connor.
The favorite to his own succession widens the gap, he who was 1'48 ahead of his previous runner-up, Wout van Aert, before this 9th stage.
A stage which caused damage, with 19 riders dismissed because they arrived outside the deadline.
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Cycling
Tour de France 2021
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