Woods,riding for the Israel-Premier Tech team,was part of an early breakaway on the ninth stage from Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dome,a brutal volcanic summit not climbed on the Tour in 35 years and most famous for a 1964 duel that saw French cycling legends Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor climb side by side.
Michael Woods wins atop the Puy de Dome.Reuters
Woods caught American Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) just 500 metres from the summit after his 24-year-old rival jumped away from the leading group with less than 50 kilometres left.
Woods then dropped Jorgenson and reached the summit of the Puy de Dome solo. Frenchman Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) finished second with Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) completing the stage podium. Jorgenson finished fourth.
The real race was back down the mountain,though,where yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo–Visma) and second-placed Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) rode away from the remnants of the peloton to set up a one-on-one battle for crucial general classification seconds.
Tadej Pogacar rides away from Jonas Vingegaard as they approach the summit on stage nine.Reuters
Pogacar,the 2020 and 2021 champion currently racing in the white young rider’s jersey,proved too strong for the yellow jersey,pulling ahead of Vingegaard before the brutal 10 per cent gradient turned to 12 per cent inside the final kilometre.
Vingegaard retains the race lead,but the gap to Pogacar has been cut to 17 seconds. Australia’s Jai Hindley (Bora–Hansgrohe) is 2 minutes and 40 seconds behind Vingegaard on the general classification after crossing the line more than a minute behind Pogacar.
Fourth-placed Carlos Rodriguez kept Ineos-Grenadiers’ podium chances alive despite losing 60 seconds to Pogacar. He now trails 2022 Giro d’Italia winner Hindley by 1 minute and 42 seconds.
“It would be nicer to have stayed with him (Pogacar) and have lost no time but,as I’ve said before,the first week didn’t suit me,” said Vingegaard said after the stage.
“In my opinion,there are stages that suit me more,so being in yellow after that first block of racing is good for me. I’m looking forward to the Alps.”
The deafening cheers of the crowd on the early slopes of the summit made way for an eerie near-silence as fans at the top as fans and team cars were not allowed in the final four kilometres of the climb,which is in a protected area.
Pogacar and Vingegaard kept an eye on each other,jerseys zipped up in the haze of the Giant of Auvergne,before Pogacar attacked in a move reminiscent of Poulidor’s against great rival Anquetil in 1964.
That day,Poulidor gained 42 seconds to narrow the gap in the general classification to just 14 and set up a now-legendary final-stage showdown.
Off the road,Astana-Qazaqstan offered Mark Cavendish a contract extension to ride the 2024 Tour de France despite the sprinter’s planned retirement after the Briton crashed out on stage eight on Saturday,ending his hopes of breaking Eddy Merckx’s record for stage victories.
The world’s most decorated sprinter announced in May that he would end his 17-year professional career at the end of the season.
“Yes,we want Mark to go on to 2024 and race his 15th Tour de France to win his 35th stage,” the team’s general manager Alexander Vinokourov told French newspaperL’Equipe.
Cavendish has racked up 161 career victories,including 34 at the Tour de France – equalling the record of Belgian great Merckx.
“I myself suffered a fractured femur in 2011 on the Tour and it was supposed to be my last year,but I didn’t want to stop just like that,” said the 49-year-old Vinokourov,who was a gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympics.
“I stayed on and fought hard to win the Olympic Games in London the following year. Mark has the same mentality and the same determination to achieve his ultimate goal. We’re ready to give him that opportunity,but it’s up to him.”
AP,Reuters
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