The first week of the 2024 Tour de France drew to a dramatic close on Sunday evening, as the white gravel roads of the Champagne region near Troyes welcomed the 173 remaining riders to do battle for over four hours.
A strong breakaway made its way up the road to fight for the stage but not without one of the most thrilling fights and lightning-fast starts to a Grand Tour stage in recent memory. The exhilarating racing didn’t end there, with the GC favourites igniting the racing behind.
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) lit up the day with attacks on the gravel sectors but neither could stay off the front and hold a gap on the Visma-Lease a Bike-led peloton working for defending champion Jonas Vingegaard.
The racing was breathless from flag to flag in Troyes, with the battle in the break coming right down to the line in a reduced-group sprint after Jasper Stuyven’s (Lidl-Trek) late attack was caught at the last gasp.
Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) claimed a wonderful win for the small French team who proved they are worth every bit of their wildcard entry to the race, silencing the criticism they had deservedly been facing for not animating the racing in the first eight stages.
The GC favourites crossed the line together after their all-out fight but messages were sent and different strategies were played out, with Evenepoel later criticising Vingegaard for not pacing when three of the ‘big four’ got away from the likes of Primož Roglič.
After Monday’s rest day in Orléans, the racing for every second resumes in week two with a day for the sprinters, before heading into the Massif Central and down south to the Pyrenees.
Relive the glorious day on the gravel of stage 9 thanks to Getty Images, SWPix and ASO.
There was an emotional start to stage 9 as Uno-X Mobility led a moment of silence for Norwegian rider André Drege who died at the Tour of Austria the day prior to stage 9.
And the Norwegian riders gave everything to honour their compatriot, with Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) attacking here in the opening stages.
Some things are bigger than cycling. A wonderful tribute seen on the roads of stage 9 here. Rest in peace André Drege.
World Champion Mathieu van der Poel passes the crowds in the rainbow bands and white bib shorts as he prepares to do battle on the gravel roads
There was furious fighting for the breakaway on stage 9 of the Tour de France, shown best here by Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ) pulling all sorts of face to attack alongside Toms Skujiņš (Lidl-Trek).
The peloton navigates the stunning roads en route from Troyes and back to Troyes as the Tour heads through the Champagne wine region.
Once the peloton reached the stunning white gravel roads, Visma-Lease a Bike took control on the front of the peloton to keep leader Jonas Vingegaard safe.
Such was the severity of both the gravel and the incline that at certain sectors, riders were forced to dismount their bikes and walk up the hills.
Beautiful roads welcomed the peloton through Champagne country.
Not sure many would have looked as happy as Bob Jungels (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) on the brutally tough 199km of racing with gravel, as the Luxembourg rider smiles for the camera with dirt on his teeth.
The day's breakaway make their way onto one of the 14 gravel sectors, led by Movistar's Javier Romo.
British veterans and old friends Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) battle their way through the gravel on stage 9.
Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) battles away on the front to chase his GC rivals Pogačar, Evenepoel and Vingegaard.
Attacks came thick and fast from the leaders, with Tadej Pogačar putting Jonas Vingegaard through his paces in the yellow jersey. The Dane worked tirelessly to make sure he never let the Slovenian get too far away.
Remco Evenepoel launched multiple attacks on stage 9, the best coming 77km from the line on the Côte de Chacenay gravel sector. Only Pogačar and Vingegaard were able to bridge across to the powerful Belgian at first.
Pogačar gives Vingegaard the look on one of the 14 gravel sectors.
It was all out racing from the two best GC riders in the world, doing battle on terrain much better suited to the Slovenian who was relentless in his efforts before the first rest day.
Tadej Pogačar wowed local French fans, honouring the maillot jaune with a flurry of solo attacks on the loose gravel, showing off his skills as a top Classics and GC rider capable across terrains.
During one of Pogačar's best moves, Matteo Jorgenson put in a huge turn to return Jonas Vingegaard back to his big rival's wheel on the gravel.
Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) showing just how hard the day was out in the breakaway. An incredibly strong group rode all the way to finish in Troyes despite efforts from Pogačar and Van der Poel behind them.
Don't look back. Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek) searches for the chasing breakaway after making his solo move in the finale of stage 9.
The Belgian had no regrets after leaving it all out there on stage 9. Despite being caught in the final 2km of the day, he was at relative peace knowing he "tried everything".
With Stuyven caught came the finale sprint from the breakaway, which was won by TotalEnergies' Anthony Turgis in an electric run to the line in Troyes ahead of Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech).
It was Turgis' first-ever Tour de France and Grand Tour stage victory at the age of 30 and after eight appearances at cycling's biggest three-week races. It was a monumental day for TotalEnergies after struggling to show themselves at all in the opening week of the Tour.
All smiles for Turgis and his TotalEnergies teammates after the huge success on stage 9. Shows just what it means to triumph at the Tour de France.
Nico Denz shows how each and every rider arrived at the finish after a brutal day out on the gravel roads - covered in dust and dirt, with exhaustion evident.
Van der Poel was similarly covered from head to toe as he made it to Troyes after a day of showing the rainbow jersey off to the Tour, making several attacks throughout the 200km but not quite making the front group.
Visma debrief after a brually though day out on the gravel roads. Mission accomplished for the likes of Van Aert and Laporte picture with leader Vingegaard, who didn't lose any time to GC rivals Pogačar and Evenepoel.
Pogačar and Evenepoel arrive at the line after a day of battle in Troyes. No gaps were made but the lack of distance between them doesn't show the amount of haymakers thrown on the 200km journey for home.
Onto the TT bike for the yellow jersey so he can warm down from an extra hard end to the first week of the Tour de France. Week 2 and the Pyrenees awaits.
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