Tim Merlier secured a spectacular victory in the ninth stage of the Tour de France on July 9, 2023, triumphing in a mass sprint as he outpaced his competitors. The Belgian sprinter’s win came after a day dominated by Mathieu van der Poel, who led the race for most of the stage but was ultimately caught by the pack just before the finish line. Despite the excitement of the stage, there was no change in the overall standings, with three-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar maintaining the race leader’s yellow jersey.
The stage covered 174 kilometres through central France, designed for sprinters. Van der Poel, a renowned one-day classics specialist, rode aggressively alongside his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Jonas Rickaert in an early breakaway. They managed to sustain a high pace of approximately 48 kilometres per hour for the majority of the stage. However, their efforts fell short as the peloton reeled them in less than a kilometre from the finish.
Merlier’s victory marked his second stage win in this year’s Tour, as he sprinted ahead of Jonathan Milan, who had won the previous stage, and Arnaud De Lie, who completed the podium. Commenting on his performance, Merlier stated, “I got boxed in a bit but then I managed to go all in and I was able to do my sprint like I wanted to and I’m happy to win my second stage here.”
In the overall classification, Pogačar continues to lead, with double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel in second place, 54 seconds behind. French cyclist Kévin Vauquelin holds third place, trailing Pogačar by 1 minute and 11 seconds, while two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard is in fourth position, 1 minute and 17 seconds behind.
Almeida’s Abandonment Shakes Pogačar’s Team
Adding to the day’s drama, Pogačar’s key teammate, João Almeida, had to abandon the race due to a fractured rib sustained during stage seven. Almeida was involved in a high-speed crash earlier in the week, narrowly avoiding a concussion but ultimately finding the pain from his injury too severe to continue. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG announced Almeida’s retirement over the race radio, a significant loss for Pogačar’s support team.
Almeida had entered this year’s Tour with strong credentials, having finished fourth in the previous edition and clinched victories in the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie, and Itzulia Basque Country. His absence will likely impact Pogačar’s strategy in the upcoming stages.
The next challenge awaits on Bastille Day, with a mountainous stage from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore, featuring seven second-category hills and a final climb with an 8 percent gradient. As the Tour progresses, the competition remains fierce, and every stage will be crucial in determining the ultimate winner.
