Tour de France 2016 Stage 9: Dumoulin takes grueling Pyrenees stage, Froome holds on to yellow

Stage 9 in the Tour de France travels over four harsh cols to finish atop an hors category climb in Andorra. At the second climb Contador abandons, while Tom Dumoulin attacks from the break at the closing climb to solo to victory. Rui Costa finishes in second, Rafal Majka in third. Chris Froome retains in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 9th stage Tour de France

1. Tom Dumoulin (nld)
2. Rui Costa (por) + 0.38
3. Rafal Majka (pol) s.t.
4. Daniel Navarro (spa) + 1.39
5. Winner Anacono (col) + 1.57
6. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 2.30
7. George Bennett (nzl) + 2.48
8. Diego Rosa (ita) + 2.52
9. Matthias Frank (swi) + 3.44
10. Adam Yates (gbr) + 6.35

11. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
12. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
13. Richie Porte (aus) + 6.37
14. Daniel Martin (irl) s.t.
16. Sergio Henao (col) + 6.56
17. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
18. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
19. Louis Meintjes (rsa) s.t.
20. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) s.t.
21. Tejay van Garderen (usa) + 7.13
27. Fabio Aru (ita) + 7.35
28. Warren Barguil (fra) s.t.

GC after 9th stage
1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Adam Yates (gbr) + 0.16
3. Daniel Martin (irl) + 0.19
4. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.23
5. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 0.37
6. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.44
7. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
8. Sergio Henao (col) s.t.
9. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 0.55
10. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.01

11. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.
12. Roman Kreuziger (cze) + 1.16
13. Fabio Aru (ita) + 1.23
14. Richie Porte (aus) + 2.10
15. Warren Barguil (fra) + 2.51

Race report
Once the flag is dropped the riders climb up Port de la Bonaigua and Daniel Teklehaimanot is the first to attack. A large group with Peter Sagan, Rafal Majka, Thibaut Pinot, Thomas De Gendt and Tom Dumoulin bridge over. When De Gendt accelerates the group breaks.

In het peloton Contador attacks with Valverde and Henao on his wheel. The two Spaniards join the front group, yet Contador is dropped a little later.

Pinot is the first to crest Port de la Bonaiguarondt ahead of De Gendt and Majka. The peloton is 1 minute down on the leaders.

In the drop the advantage grows to 2 minutes before it goes down to 1 minute again in the valley, because Sky is chasing Valverde. The Spaniard waits for the pack and then the gap balloons to over 6 minutes. 21 riders left in the front group.

Halfway up the Port d’El Canto Alberto Contador abandons. De Gendt is the first rider to reach the top, ahead of Pinot and Majka.

In Andorra Sagan takes the intermediate sprint and a moment later the leaders hit the Côte de la Comella with a lead at over 10 minutes.

Once again it is De Gendt taking most KOM-point at the top. He powers on to a lead at 40 seconds at the super-steep Col de Beixalis, yet he is reeled in. Only Majka, Pinot, Dumoulin, Frank, Bennett, Costa, Rosa, Anacona, Herrada and Navarro are on board. Pinot is the first to crest, besting Rosa in a sprint for KOM-points. The pack is 8 minutes down.

In the false flat section leading to the closing climb attacks are everywhere, yet with 13 kms left Dumoulin forces a proper gap. He races to a maximum lead at almost 1 minute with Rui Costa and Rafal Majka the first chasers.

In the peloton Henao, Froome, Porte, Mollema and Danie Martin attack one after the other until the eilte group is down to only five men: Adam Yates, Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Richie Porte and Daniel Martin. They cross the line in that order, putting time in their opponents.