Michael Woods conquers the Puy de Dôme, Pogacar nibbles ground

2023-07-09 18:58:34

Michael Woods made Israel-Premier Tech shine for the return of the Tour de France to Puy de Dôme, 35 years later. The Canadian took the ninth stage this Sunday, July 9 at the cost of a huge comeback in the final ascent. For their part, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard made their own show, at the end of which the Slovenian nibbled away eight seconds in the yellow jersey.

Published on: 07/09/2023 – 18:58

Michael Woods planted the Canadian flag on the Puy de Dôme, climbed for the first time in 35 years by the Grande Boucle. The Israel-Premier Tech rider, survivor of the morning breakaway, won the ninth stage of the Tour de France this Sunday April 9 at the cost of an immense effort and an improbable comeback on Matteo Jorgenson.

Escaped from the start with thirteen other runners, the Canadian veteran caught up on the edge the American, who left alone 46 km from the finish, to win on the terrifying slopes of the volcano at an altitude of 1,415 m. Woods, 36, plugged a two-minute hole to come back to Jorgenson 450 meters from the line and win ahead of Frenchman Pierre Latour, who also came back from afar, and Slovenian Matej Mohoric.

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With this prestigious success, Woods is part of a royal line, alongside Fausto Coppi, first winner at Puy-de-Dôme in 1952, Federico Bahamontes, Luis Ocaña or Lucien Van Impe, crowned in 1975, the year in which Eddy Merckx was punched by a spectator in the stomach.

Text explanation between Pogacar and Vingegaard

The yellow jersey peloton, far behind the head, was the setting for a great battle between the two great gentlemen of this Grande Boucle 2023. The group gradually disintegrated. And, when only crumbs remained, including the Yates brothers and Carlos Rodriguez in particular, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard wrote the last chapter of their battle of the day 1.5 km from the finish, in the heart of the terrible final ascent.

In this little game of cat and mouse, it was finally Pogacar who won. On arrival, he nibbled away eight seconds from the overall leader of the Jumbo-Visma, who finally kept his yellow jersey without getting too red. But for only 17 seconds in advance.