182.4 kilometers had to be ridden on this ninth stage of the Tour de France from Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat to the Puy de Dôme near Clermont-Ferrand. The favorites for overall victory initially saw the excursion in the Auvergne as extensive sunbathing. The peloton lazed, allowing a dozen or so breakaways to gain a lead that grew to more than sixteen minutes as the day progressed.
That meant early on that despite the fierce final climb up the Puy de Dôme volcanic cone, an outsider would win the stage and that ended up being Canadian Michael Woods (Team Israel Premier Tech), who edged long-leading American Matteo Jorgenson by 450 metres overtaken the target.
No spectators
The two favorites for victory in the overall standings after 21 stages, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar and the Dane Jonas Vingegaard, were of little interest, as was the third in the overall standings, Jai Hindley from the German team Bora-hansgrohe. There was no driver at the front who could have been dangerous to them.
They were only interested in the ultra-steep last four kilometers, where a cog railway wheezes up alongside the narrow road to the Puy de Dôme. That’s where the next showdown between Pogacar and Vingegaard was expected, and that’s how it happened. On these last four kilometers, which is an unfamiliar feeling for top riders on the tour, there were no more spectators along the route.
The 1465 meter high mountain with its temple of Mercury from the first century on the summit has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, as is the entire volcanic landscape. Tens of thousands of cycling fans are no longer welcome on its flanks and on the summit plateau as they were at the last tour stop at the same place 35 years ago.
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The showdown began a kilometer and a half from the summit when Pogacar started and only Vingegaard was able to follow at first, but then had to let go. It was a bitter fight for every second. In the end, there were eight that Pogacar drove out. Again he had beaten Vingegaard, but again the Dane stayed in the yellow jersey. But his lead has decreased. It is still 17 seconds. Jai Hindley defended his third place in 19th place.
