This is called a panache victory. Bob Jungels (AG2R Citroën) won the ninth stage of the Tour alone in Châtel. And to launch these mountain stages, the Pas de Morgins, a mythical passage in the history of the Grande Boucle, was the subject of a great showdown between Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and the Luxembourger.
Members of the breakaway of the day, which included fifteen riders, the two men put on a great show, with breathtaking suspense this Sunday. And it was the AG2R rider who struck first, deciding to go it alone in the descent of the Col de la Croix, 55km from the finish.
Pinot has decided to wake up. After his complicated day on Saturday, the Frenchman set off in pursuit of the leading man in the Pas de Morgins, 18km from the finish. While he was more than two minutes behind, the Habs, unleashed and carried by the crowd, managed to come back to just 20 seconds behind their competitor of the day. And even if he did not manage to win (4th in the end), he still showed that he had some under the pedal. Auspicious before the Alps.
By finishing fifth in the stage, Tadej Pogacar consolidated his yellow jersey.
Geschke, new polka dot jersey
That’s it, the romance between the polka dot jersey and the surprise of this start to the Tour, Magnus Cort Nielsen has come to an end. While he had been at the top of the classification of best climbers for a week, the Dane finally gave up his place on the podium to Simon Geschke (Cofidis).
By taking the lead at the Col de la Croix, taken only once on the Grande Boucle in 1997, and in second position at the Col des Mosses, the German recorded thirteen more points in the mountain classification and thus seized the polka dot tunic. However, the task promises to be difficult to keep him.