Tour de France 2014: Brilliant solo-victory by Tony Martin

Sunday July 13th, 2014 - The road between Gérardmer and Mulhouse is teeming with climbs, making stage 9 the perfect ground for a break. Tony Martin takes a long attack to a brilliant victory and Tony Gallopin is the new man in yellow. All GC men finish together. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 9th stage Tour de France 2014

1. Tony Martin (Ger)
2. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) + 2.45
3. Greg van Avermaet (bel) s.t.
4. Tom Dumoulin (Nld) s.t.
5. Matteo Montaguti (ita) s.t.
6. José Joaquin Rojas (spa) s.t.
7. Steven Kruiswijk (Nld) s.t.
8. Mikael Cherel (fra) s.t.
9. Brice Feillu (fra) s.t.
10. Tiago Machado (por) s.t.

16. Tony Gallopin (fra) s.t.

GC after stage 9th stage
1. Tony Gallopin (fra)
2. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 1.34
3. Tiago Machado (por) + 2.40
4. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 3.18
5. Richie Porte (aus) + 3.32
6. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 4.00
7. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 4.01
8. Pierre Rolland (fra) + 4.07
9. Alberto Contador (spa) + 4.08
10. Romain Bardet (fra) + 4.13

11. Rui Costa (por) + 4.26
12. Bauke Mollema (Nld) + 4.36
13. Jurgen Van den Broeck (bel) s.t.

Race report
Straight from the start the race is on. The road is uphill and a break of 24 crests the Col de la Schlucht after 8 kilometres of climbing, maar a moment later it’s over.

In the descent Tony Martin gives it a go with Alessandro De Marchi, also present in the first break. In pursuit are 25 riders, a lot of them were alsof present in the first break: Joaquim Rodríguez, Tom Dumoulin, Jan Bakelants and Simon Spilak. Other riders on board are Greg van Avermaet, Fabian Cancellara, Pierre Rolland and Tony Gallopin.

Tony Martin is in tirelessly in the lead and gently he offers all mountain points to his Italian companion. The two of them are steadily gaining time to the chasers. At Côte de Gueberschwihr the gap is 1’50” and the peloton with GC men are 6 minutes down. De Marchi grabs the mountains points, again.

Tony Gallopin is best placed in the overall and he is virtually wearing the yellow jersey by now. The number of chasers is down to 24.

At the closing climb in two steps, Le Markstein and Grand Ballon, Tony Martin leaves De Marchi and decides it’s solo time. Without his ‘motor’ De Marchi is reeled in by the chasers and the gap at the summit is 3 minutes. The GC men follow at 8 minutes.

Martin takes the stage and is rewarded with the polka dots jersey after his brilliant performance. In the flat final 50 kilometres he is not threatened by anybody. Fabian Cancellara beats Greg Van Avermaet on the line and somes in second.

Tony Gallopin takes the yellow jersey.