Cycling: Yesterday it was tough, today it was tougher and tomorrow it will be even tougher. Because the ninth stage leads the pros over 5 mountain classifications. This time there is even a mountain of the highest category to climb. Only a real top climber can win here. Who else is that supposed to be, besides Tadej Pogacar? In our Velomotion forecast, we are betting on a breakaway victory for Emanuel Buchmann!
A 21-kilometer final climb
The 108th Tour de France has finally arrived in the mountains. After it was anything but easy today, it will be over tomorrow 144,9 kilometers from Cluses to Tignes harder again. 5 mountain classifications must be climbed, including the first mountain classification with the highest category. The Montée de Tignes is a full 21 kilometers long and is therefore definitely only for the absolute climbing specialists. But not only the classification drivers will have to show themselves, also those who want to win the mountain jersey. There are numerous points not only for the climbers, but also for the sprinters in the intermediate sprint. Peter Sagan should definitely go on the offensive tomorrow to have a chance against Mark Cavendish in the green jersey fight. The intermediate sprint comes quite early, but after the first climb, the Côte de Domancy. It's the perfect opportunity to join the group and earn valuable points. Deceuninck – Quick-Step then has to find an answer to that.
The key moments of the 9st stage
- Sharp start in Cluses at 13:10
- Category 2 mountains: Côte de Domancy (2,5 km a 9,4%) 125,3 km / 19,6 km
- Sprint classification in Praz-Sur-Arly 112,2 km / 32,7 km
- Category 1 climb: Col des Saisies (9,4 km a 6,2%) 95,5 km / 49,4 km
- Mountain classification of the highest category: Col du Pré (12,6 km a 7,7%) 64,0 km / 80,9 km
- Category 2 mountains: Cormet de Roselend (5,7 km a 6,5%) 51,6 km / 93,3 km
- Category 1 climb: Montée de Tignes (21,0 km a 5,6%) 1,9 km / 143,0 km
- Arrival in Tignes between 17:30 and 18:10
Velomotion prognosis: does Buchmann wear a mountain jersey?
Anyone who saw the individual time trial at this year's Tour de France and today's mountain stage can only bet on Tadej Pogacar for a difficult mountain finish like this one. But the Slovenian now has a big lead in the overall standings, so he doesn't necessarily have to send his team to catch up. The other teams of the favorites - like Ineos Grenadiers or Movistar - will do a hell of a thing and bring the breakaways back. This would give the almost unbeatable Tadej Pogacar another stage win on a silver platter. A breakaway group in Tignes will fight much more for the day's victory tomorrow. And there we see Emmanuel Buchman with good chances. The German is already a long way behind in the overall standings and does not pose a threat to the class riders. He could also join the group tomorrow with Peter Sagan: one will wear a mountain jersey, the other collects points for green.
☆☆☆ Emanuel Buchmann (Bora – hansgrohe)
☆☆ Bauke Mollema (Trek – Segafredo), Esteban Chaves (BikeExchange)
☆ Miguel Angel Lopez (Movistar), Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), Louis Meintjes (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux)