Bagneres de Bigorre, France. July 7, 2013. By Jen Benepe
The second day in the Pyrnenees was sure to be a test for Chris Froome who grabbed the Yellow Jersey so handily yesterday in

stage 8 on the climb to Ax-3-Domaines.
The Spanish-dominated Movistar team used the stage as an opportunity to isolate the Sky rider from his team, as they pushed the pace up five major climbs, shredding even the best Sky Team riders, such as Richie Porte and Peter Kennaugh.
But if successes could be repeated day to day, the Tour would be boring, wouldn’t it?
In the end, two riders Dan Martin, and Jakob Fuglsang who managed to establish a break after the second to last climb managed to stay away, and won the stage by 30 seconds. Martin was the craftier of the two, and slipped around his competitor to come first over the line.
In a chase group composed of Chris Froome, most of the GC contenders, and Michal Kiatkowski, a group finish assured that Froome keeps his Yellow Jersey. But today his teammate Porte is no longer in second position overall.
At a distance of 168.5 km it would be a relatively short stage that included five very challenging mountain passes: the Portet d’Aspet (cat-2 at 28.5km), col de Mente (cat-1 at 44km), col de Peyresourde (cat-1 at 90km), col de Val Louron-Azet (cat-1 at 110.5km) and the steep grind up the Hourquette d’Ancizan (cat-1 at 138km).
After yesterday’s result, Froome was holding both the Yellow Jersey and the Polka Dot classification, leaving Pierre Rolland in second place for the climbing distinction: Rolland wore the jersey because Froome could only wear one of the two.
But it wasn’t going to be easy: Froome had become the marked man, and the strategy from the outset was to isolate him from the strength and support of his Sky teammates, then grind him down on the pistes.
Its a strategy that the Movistar team led by Alejandro Valverde, played to the hilt, shedding most riders, and leaving only the best to ride into Bagneres-de-Bigorre with sore legs.

An early attack to get ahead by Hoogerland (VCD) who was joined by Lemoine (SOJ) and Didier (RTL) was quickly reeled in.
Several other attacks were made early on following the Hoogerland move, but it was the attack by Bauer and Millar that went ahead of Greschke and van Garderen by 15″ and the peloton by 25″.
The Sky team had three men at the head of the peloton but they were not able to stop the counter-attacks which continued at the 15 km mark.
Soon Grechke and van Garderen were caught, while Gutierrez (MOV) and Navardauskas (GRS) led the peloton 35″ behind Millar and Bauer.
Then Sylvain Chavanel (OPQ) tried a flyer off the front of the peloton but he too was chased down. Then Didier (RTL) tried his luck with Rolland (EUC) right on his wheel. Nothing stuck and soon Bauer and Millar were caught.
Then Peter Kennaugh of Team Sky crashed, and it was the beginning of difficulties for the team today.
The First Climb up the Portet d’Aspet
At the beginning of the climb up the first Portet d’Aspet, several riders established an advantage off the front among them van Garderen (BMC), Didier (RTL), Rolland (EUC), Gautier (EUC), Gasparotto (AST), Plaza (MOV), Pineau (OPQ), Millar (GRS) and Hoogerland (VCD).
Soon that advantage was for Plaza (MOV) and Rolland (EUC) only who were ahead of the peloton, but their lead soon collapsed with a steady pace at the front from the Garmin-Sharpe team.
Over the top of the climb, several riders accelerated, and it was Jeannesson (FDJ) 5pts, first, followed by Martin (GRS) 3pts, Danielson (GRS) 2pts, Niemiec (LAM) 1pt.
With 133 km to go, four riders were in the lead: Jon Izaguirre (EUS) and Danielson (GRS) who caught Morabito (BMC) and Jeannesson (FDJ). Soon 10 other riders joined them, and the Yellow Jersey group paced behind them about 10 seconds back.
In that follow group was Chris Froome whose Team Sky had splintered off behind him. Now in a lead group in front of them was Morabito (BMC), Jeannesson (FDJ), Hernandez (TST), Nieve (EUS), Trofimov (KAT), Izaguirre (EUS), Rolland (EUC), Losada (EUS), Castroviejo (MOV), Costa (MOV), Plaza (MOV), Hesjedal (GRS), Danielson (GRS), Martin (GRS) and Merderel (SOJ).
Soon Porte (Sky) was dropped by the chase Yellow Jersey group: Froome was isolated. Then Cadel Evans was also dropped from the elite chase group, who was 55 seconds ahead.
Then three riders managed to establish a lead off the front, Ryder Hesjedal (GRS), Thomas Danielson (GRS) and Yury Torfimov (KAT).
Behind them in the Yellow Jersey group which included Chris Froome (Sky) was Alejandro Valderde (MOV), Alberto Contador (TST), Quintana Rojas (MOV), Andrew Talansky, (GRS), Pierre Rolland (EUC), Tony Gallopin, (RTL), Peraud (ALM), and several others. Froome’s teammate Richie Porte was struggling to get back to the group about 1 minute back. Cadel Evans and Morabito and two other riders were in between about 41 seconds behind the Yellow Jersey group.
Col du Peyresoude Splinters the Teams
The leaders were only 16 seconds off the front when they started the climb up the col du Peyresoude, a category 1 climb.
Soon the three leaders at the front were joined by B. de Clercq of the Lotto-Belisol team, and they were ahead of the chase Yellow Jersey group, when there was an attack off the front of that group by Thomas de Gendt (VCS). He was followed by Jan Bakelants (RTL), Arthur Vichot (FDJ), and Simon Geshke (AGS).
The Yellow Jersey group was now 1 minute behind the lead group of De Clercq, Rolland, Bardet, and Hesjedal.
Soon it was six men in the lead, De Clercq, Rolland, Bardet, Hesjedal, Bakelants, and Bardet. The Yellow Jersey group was about 1 minute back, and a chase group behind them–with Richie Porte, was another 1 minute and 39 seconds back, and 2 minutes 30 seconds behind the leaders.
There would be two more mountains after this climb up the Peyresoude–the Col de Val Louron-Azet, and la Hourquette d’Ancizan, before the descent into Bagneres-de-Bigorre.
Soon behind in the Cadel Evans chase group (behind the Yellow) Peter Kennaugh and Richie Porte were dropping back. The Yellow Jersey group ahead was being led by Alejandro Valverde (MOV).
Thomas deGendt began to lose contact with the lead group as they neared the summit, and behind him, Orica GreenEdge’s Simon Clarke had detached from the Yellow Jersey follow group and was bridging up to the break.
Then Thomas DeGendt made a move behind the lead, passing Pierre Rolland handily to gain the points in the King of the Mountains competition.
As they passed over the top of the col de Peyresoude, the two Sky teammates, Porte and Kennaugh, were about 2 minutes and 30 seconds behind the leaders.
Climb on the Col de Val Louron-Azet
Then Clarke caught the six stage leaders which meant there were seven men with an advantage of 50″ on the yellow jersey’s group. Porte’s peloton was 2’00” behind the Yellow Jersey. Soon Kennaugh lost touch with Porte, as he fell back.
The King of the Mountains from last year’s Vuelta, Clarke (OGE) then pulled out in front of the stage at 75 km to go, dropping the six other stage leaders.
Rolland, Bardet and LeClercq formed a counterattack and chased after Clarke, dropping Bakelants and Hesjedal. The Froome group was one minute and 34 seconds back. Porte was another one minute 25 seconds back.
Ryder Hesjedal was soon picked up, then dropped by the Yellow Jersey group which was led by a cadre of the Movistar team, surrounding Alejandro Valverde. One of the Movistar team then was dropped, Andrey Amador.
Sensing that Porte was closing in on them, the Movistar riders accelerated at the front of the Yellow Jersey group, leaving Porte 1 minute 36 seconds back.
Clarke was first over the Col du Val-Louron Azet, gaining 10 points, and he was followed by Rolland (EUC) 8pts – at 20″, Bardet (ALM) 6pts, De Clercq (LTB) 4pts, then Bakelants (RTL) 2pts – at 50″, and the first of the Yellow Jersey group, Castroviejo (MOV) 1pt – at 1’05”.
The gap from the Yellow Jersey group to the leaders was narrowing as they made their descent. Porte’s group was 2 minutes and 20 seconds back.
The Final Climb before the Finish: La Hourquette d’Ancizan
On the descent towards Saint Loury-Soulon, Rolland, De Clercq and Bardet caught the stage leader Clarke with 53km to go. Ahead of them was the last climb of the day, La Hourquette d’Ancizan, followed by a descent into Bagneres de Bigorre.
Within 8 km of the climb, Valverde was moving up the general classification, his group continuing to increase its advantage over Richie Porte (SKY). There were four Movistar riders at the front of Froome’s group that was just 30″ behind the leading four. At the base of the climb, they were 10 seconds back. Oh oh.
As the Yellow Jersey group began the climb, they easily passed the leaders, dropping Bakelants almost immediately.
There were Movistar riders at the head of the stage in the Yellow Jersey group as they came inside the final 35km of the stage and they had a lead of 5’25” on the Porte peloton.
Nairo Quintana attacked three times, each time initiating a chase from Chris Froome. Then Dan Martin (GRS) attacked, and he was being chased by Fuglsang(AST).
Andy Schleck came to the front of the chase Yellow Jersey group. Dan Martin and Jakob Fuglsang were still 10 seconds in advantage.
Quintana then attacked again, and he was chased by Froome, who seemed not to be affected by the attacks.
In the Yellow Jersey group was Nairo Quintana, Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, and several Movistar riders.
Dan Martin took the points for the King of the Mountain over the top, and into a tricky descent to Bagneres-de-Bigorre. Fuglsang was second, and Vacansoleil’s Poels was third over the mountain, 33 seconds back.
Porte had now slipped back to more than 9 minutes behind the Yellow Jersey group who had come up 42 seconds behind the leaders.
Movistar had lost the chance to take away the Yellow Jersey but learned that they could put a big dent into Team Sky. Watch out for them when it come to the Alps!
Porte and his group which now included Hesjedal was now 10’30” behind Martin and Fuglsang. The Sky rider who started the stage in second overall has thus dropped out of the top 20 on GC. Froome had ridden most of the ninth stage without any teammates by his side.
The two leaders were ahead by 37 seconds in the final descent, with Michal Kwiatkowski, the young White Jersey holder, taking a flyer off the front of the chase group, and he was only 30 seconds back.
Andy Schleck (RTL) was the sixth rider over the top of the final climb, but he lost ground to the yellow jersey’s group when Kwiatkowski accelerated.
There was 7 miles to go to the finish and the gap to the leaders started to dwindle.
Froome, Evans, Morabito, Schleck, Peraud, Dupont, Contador, Kreuziger, Rodriguez, Nieve, Valverde, Castroviejo, Costa, Quintana, Navarro, Kwiatkowski, Mollema, Gesink, Ten Dam, Maxime Monfort and Poels were the riders in the first chase group that was 30″ behind Fuglsang and Martin. Gesink had two Belkin teammates in the group.
The chase group was traveling at 60 km an bour in the last 10 km, but the leaders did not weaken. At 5 km to go, there was a 34 second deficit, and it was getting slightly bigger every kilometer.
At the 500 meter to go mark, Fuglsang didn’t want Martin on his wheel, and both were waiting to the last minute to open up the sprint. Martin took off, and was able to keep Fuglsang off to the finish.
Richie Porte (Sky) is now out of the top 40 riders today.
Rohan Dennis (GRS), who finished the stage yesterday in last place, has not started the ninth stage. The best young rider in the Criterium du Dauphiné in June had started the Tour for the first time but he’s now on his way home.
The new Swiss champion Michael Schar (BMC) is the other rider who has not started stage nine after crashing in stage 7.
Overall individual time classification
Total distance covered: 1513.5 KM
RANK | RIDER | RIDER NO. | TEAM | TIMES | GAP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | GBRFROOME Christopher | 1 | SKY PROCYCLING | 36h 59′ 18” | |
2. | ESPVALVERDE Alejandro | 121 | MOVISTAR TEAM | 37h 00′ 43” | + 01′ 25” |
3. | NEDMOLLEMA Bauke | 164 | BELKIN PRO CYCLING | 37h 01′ 02” | + 01′ 44” |
4. | NEDTEN DAM Laurens | 167 | BELKIN PRO CYCLING | 37h 01′ 08” | + 01′ 50” |
5. | CZEKREUZIGER Roman | 94 | TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF | 37h 01′ 09” | + 01′ 51” |
6. | ESPCONTADOR Alberto | 91 | TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF | 37h 01′ 09” | + 01′ 51” |
7. | COLQUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander | 128 | MOVISTAR TEAM | 37h 01′ 20” | + 02′ 02” |
8. | IRLMARTIN Daniel | 175 | GARMIN – SHARP | 37h 01′ 46” | + 02′ 28” |
9. | ESPRODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin | 101 | KATUSHA TEAM | 37h 01′ 49” | + 02′ 31” |
10. | PORCOSTA Rui Alberto | 124 | MOVISTAR TEAM | 37h 02′ 03” | + 02′ 45” |
11. | ESPNIEVE ITURRALDE Mikel | 116 | EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI | 37h 02′ 13” | + 02′ 55” |
12. | DENFUGLSANG Jakob | 63 | ASTANA PRO TEAM | 37h 02′ 25” | + 03′ 07” |
13. | POLKWIATKOWSKI Michal | 153 | OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP | 37h 02′ 43” | + 03′ 25” |
14. | FRAPÉRAUD Jean-Christophe | 81 | AG2R LA MONDIALE | 37h 02′ 47” | + 03′ 29” |
15. | LUXSCHLECK Andy | 41 | RADIOSHACK LEOPARD | 37h 03′ 18” | + 04′ 00” |
16. | AUSEVANS Cadel | 31 | BMC RACING TEAM | 37h 03′ 54” | + 04′ 36” |
17. | ESPMORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel | 106 | KATUSHA TEAM | 37h 03′ 54” | + 04′ 36” |
18. | AUSROGERS Michael | 98 | TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF | 37h 05′ 32” | + 06′ 14” |
19. | ESPANTON Igor | 111 | EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI | 37h 05′ 58” | + 06′ 40” |
20. | FRABARDET Romain | 82 | AG2R LA MONDIALE | 37h 06′ 27” | + 07′ 09” |
21. | BELMONFORT Maxime | 47 | RADIOSHACK LEOPARD | 37h 07′ 13” | + 07′ 55” |
22. | USATALANSKY Andrew | 178 | GARMIN – SHARP | 37h 08′ 53” | + 09′ 35” |
23. | NEDPOELS Wouter | 201 | VACANSOLEIL-DCM | 37h 09′ 03” | + 09′ 45” |
24. | COLSERPA José | 149 | LAMPRE – MERIDA | 37h 09′ 12” | + 09′ 54” |
25. | ESPNAVARRO Daniel | 139 | COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS | 37h 09′ 48” | + 10′ 30” |