CYCLING: For Rigoberto Uran of the Cannondale team, this was monumental …
My godness what stage, this ninth stage of the Tour de France turned out to be! As expected, the 181 km between Nantua and Chambéry provided a lot of excitement and thrills ! From the first of the three-category mountain climbs of the day, the AG2R team attacked the yellow jersey and leader of the Tour de France, Chris Froome , causing the collapse and abandonment of his lieutenant Geraint Thomas who fell, breaking his collar bone. Party in the early breakaway, Warren Barguil led over two of the HC catergory climbs to focus on the polka dot jersey.
Bardet was beaten to the photo-finish sprint by Uran, although all the main GC contenders were in the leading group (Bardet, Aru, Froome, Fuglsang and therefore Uran), although they managed to eject Quintana and Contador on the last climb. Richie Porte, the victim of a terrible fall, on the descent of the last mountain, has abandoned the Tour de France.
