Stage 9: Saint-Gaudens to Tarbes
Content to enter tomorrow's rest day without any significant changes to the general classification, the peloton rode conservatively with few serious attacks between Saint-Gaudens and Tarbes.
But the thousands of fans lining the roads must have been pleased to see the makings of another French victory after Pierrick Fedrigo outsprinted breakaway companion Franco Pellizotti at the line. The two men were the last remnants of an early break, yet had to cooperate to stay ahead of the pack in the final kilometers as their lead began to dwindle. With under a kilometer to go, Pellizotti jumped first, but Fedrigo caught his wheel and came around just before the line.
Lance Armstrong demonstrated authority and experience today, leading a chase to reel in an early breakaway before the first climb up the Col d'Aspin and taking the front of the descent down the Col du Tourmalet. He enters tomorrow's rest day just eight seconds back from the yellow jersey, two seconds behind teammate Alberto Contador.
GC contender Andy Schleck survived a scare with just over 3K to go when a flat tire forced him to lose the peloton, but teammate Jens Voigt paced him back into the fold.
Cadel Evans Silence-Lotto speeds down the Col du Tourmalet followed by Garmin-Slipstream’s Ryder Hesjedal. - AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski
Stage 9 Results
- Pierrick Fedrigo – Bbox Bouygues Telecom – 4:05:31
- Franco Pellizotti – Liquigas +00:00
- Oscar Freire - Rabobank +00:34
- Serguei Ivanov – Team Katusha +00:34
- Peter Velits – Team Milram +00:34
- Jose Joaquin Rojas – Caisse d'Epargne +00:34
- Greg Van Avermaet – Silence-Lotto +00:34
- Geoffroy Lequatre - Agritubel +00:34
- Alessandro Ballan – Lampre-NGC +00:34
- Nicolas Roche – Ag2r-La Mondiale +00:34
Other U.S. Riders
16. George Hincapie – Team Columbia-HTC +00:34
30. Christian Vande Velde – Garmin-Slipstream +00:34
39. Levi Leipheimer – Astana +00:34
43. Lance Armstrong – Astana +00:34
109. David Zabriskie – Garmin-Slipstream +18:48
154. Tyler Farrar – Garmin-Slipstream +24:57
170. Danny Pate – Garmin-Slipstream +24:57
Overall Classification
- Rinaldo Nocentini – Ag2r-La Mondiale – 34:24:21
- Alberto Contador – Astana +00:06
- Lance Armstrong – Astana +00:08
- Levi Leipheimer – Astana +00:39
- Bradley Wiggins – Garmin-Slipstream +00:46
Click Here for More Overall Standings and Jersey Leaders
160.5K (99.7 miles) - July 12, 2009
• Both towns have each hosted the Tour 11 times
• This stage precedes the first rest day of the Tour
• Sprint Points at: Sarrancolin, Lau-Balagnas, Lourdes
• Mountain Passes: Col d'Aspin located at 60.5 kilometers - 12.3km climb to 6.4 percent grade - Category 1; Col du Tourmalet at 90km - 17.1km climb to 7.4 percent - Hors Categorie
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