Ben O’Connor of Australia won a cold and wet ninth stage of the Tour de France, from Cluses to Tignes, with an epic lone attack, and moved to just over two minutes behind the overall race leader and defending Tour champion, Tadej Pogacar.
“Just to be here in the first place is the first dream,” O’Connor said. “To achieve this today is testimony to everyone who’s believed in me over the years. It’s what you dream of and it’s so fulfilling and there’s so much joy. I’m loving every single moment.”
In a weekend of long-range breakaways, O’Connor’s decisive move came with 75 kilometres to go as he moved clear of the stage’s 40-rider breakaway.
As the climbs took their toll, the breakaway group splintered on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend and on the approach to the critical final ascent. O’Connor’s advantage over race leader Pogacar grew in the torrid weather conditions and at one point made him race leader on the road.
The Australian, leader of the AG2R-Citroën team, was joined on the long climb to Tignes by Sergio Higuita, of the EF Education-Nippo team, winner of a stage in the 2019 Vuelta a España. The Colombian was distanced soon afterwaiting for O’Connor to hand his soaked rain cape to a race car, as the Australian rode into Tignes to take his first stage win in the Tour.
Behind them, the Ineos Grenadiers team’s flame briefly flickered as Geraint Thomas rode hard to set up an attack from their best-placed rider, Richard Carapaz, but the move backfired As the Ecuadorian made his effort, Pogacar, of the UAE Emirates team, responded and left his rival behind once more, as he set off in pursuit of the distant O’Connor. – Guardian
