The climb itself, while not consistently steep, is long and it was there in 1964 that French great Jacques Anquetil came a cropper while his close rival Raymond Poulidor thrived. It’s a special feeling and I’m going to soak it up and enjoy it while I’m here. His main rival, two-time runner-up Nairo Quintana of Colombia, is fourth, only 23 seconds back.
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Briton Adam Yates started and finished the day second overall as he crossed the line alongside Froome to maintain his lofty position. Froome responded by landing a left jab to the spectator’s face. Frenchman Romain Bardet (AG2r-La Mondiale), who is sixth overall, 44 seconds off the pace, said he was expecting more from the British outfit. I just thought this race is maybe not for me, and I’d focus on other races.
Another issue that has become part of the sport recently is concern over mechanical doping. Let’s hope for some safer cycling when the race continues tomorrow with stage ten, Escaldes-Engordany to Revel.
When Froome was asked about a suggestion that the reason he hasn’t been able to attack successfully uphill in this Tour was because he doesn’t have a motor in his bike, Sky team principal Dave Brailsford responded for the rider. “We were at the front all day just waiting for something to go and then Sagan and Bodnar just went and that was it”. After winning the Tour of Turkey in 2014, and the San Sebastian single-day classic previous year, he is already being tipped as a future victor of a major Tour. “The whole discussion about bikes and motors, given the level of testing, is something that we need to reconsider”.
Brailsford insisted Froome’s equipment had come in for more scrutiny than anyone else’s on the Tour.
Quintana said he was unfazed by the time loss.
“You have to take a fair bit of confidence from that because you are sticking with the top guys up there in GC [general classification]”.
He slid back into the peloton as Contador, who had been distanced earlier, was struggling, rolling down to his team auto four times before getting off his bike for good.
The general classification battle will then resume on stage 12’s ascent of Mont Ventoux and stage 13’s 37.5km individual time trial, both of which could have a pivotal say on the overall outcome of the race.
Froome, who beat Quintana in 2013 and a year ago to win the Tour, questioned Quintana’s tactics after Sunday’s rain and hail stricken finish to the ninth stage at Andorra-Arcalis.
Ventoux was also the site of an epic contest between Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani in 2000, and where British rider Tom Simpson died in 1967 after he used a lethal cocktail of amphetamines and alcohol.
Thursday and Friday are two of the most challenging days in the saddle, with the daunting Mount Ventoux to be tackled followed by a hilly time-trial the following day, but Walsh does not foresee a change in tactics for Martin. His non-selection for the Olympic Games road-race has baffled many cycling fans.
“To win up there again would be unreal”.
It was also handy to gain some time on some other riders and move up a few places overall.
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But where so many of Britain’s top riders came through British Cycling’s under-23 academy in the past, the next generation are finding their own way.
