2023-07-09 18:46:00
The Canadian Michael Woods won the 9th stage which ended at the top of the Auvergne summit, for the first time in thirty-five years. Tadej Pogacar takes 8 seconds from Jonas Vingegaard.
By NB with AFP The Canadian Michael Woods at the top of the Puy de Dôme. © THOMAS SAMSON/AFP Published on 07/09/2023 at 6:46 p.m.
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Survivor of the morning breakaway, Canadian Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) won the 9th stage of the Tour de France on Sunday at the top of the Puy de Dôme, climbed for the first time in thirty-five years on the Grande Boucle . Escaped from the start with 13 other runners, the Canadian veteran caught up in extremis with the American Matteo Jorgenson, who had started alone 46 kilometers from the finish, to win on the terrifying slopes of the volcano at 1,465 meters above sea level. altitude.
Woods, 36, plugged a two-minute hole at the foot of the Puy du Dôme, to come back to Jorgenson 450 meters from the finish line and win ahead of Frenchman Pierre Latour and Slovenian Matej Mohoric.
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Pogacar returns to 17 seconds behind Vingegaard
The peloton, with all the main favorites, was more than 16 minutes behind the American, at the foot of the last spiral climb (13.3 kilometers at 7.7% including the final 4 kilometers – prohibited to the public – at 12%). The skimming between the best was done very quickly in the ascent. One by one, the contenders for the podium let go. Including the French Romain Bardet and David Gaudu towed to the top by Thibaut Pinot, with a grin of heartbreaking pain on his face and the jersey open on his emaciated chest. READ ALSO Tour de France: Thibaut Pinot, the last breakawayAnd the two favorites once again found themselves alone in the world, for a new episode of their duel which has animated the Tour since the start, when Tadej Pogacar went on the attack 1.5 kilometers from the summit erected at 1 415 meters above sea level. The Slovenian quickly took one, then two, then five meters ahead in scorching heat and bright sunshine. But Jonas Vingegaard never gave in, clinging to the courage to save his yellow jersey for 17 seconds, on the eve of the rest day.
“Tadej was incredibly strong. I’m happy to have been able to keep the yellow jersey, commented Vingegaard, who arrived 8 seconds after his rival. It will be a fierce fight, I will do my best to arrive as a winner in Paris. “Jonas was strong, but I felt really good today,” said Pogacar. I’m happy to take some time off and put some pressure on Jonas. »
An iconic stage
With this prestigious success, Woods joins, for his part, in a royal line, alongside Fausto Coppi, first winner at the Puy de Dôme in 1952, Federico Bahamontes, who celebrated his 94th birthday this Sunday, Luis Ocaña or Lucien Van Impe, crowned in 1975, the year Eddy Merckx was punched by a spectator in the stomach.
The Puy de Dôme was also the scene of a legendary mano a mano between Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor in 1964, when “Poupou” took over 42 seconds, without being able to deprive his rival of a fifth final coronation. The Dane Johnny Weltz was the last winner at the top in 1988, already, after a long breakaway.
On Monday, the runners will enjoy a rest day in Clermont-Ferrand, before hitting the road again on Tuesday between the Vulcania park and Issoire, then taking the direction of the Alps.
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