It has been an outstanding first week of the Tour de France for Dan Martin.
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Froome might lead the race overall on the first rest day, but he does so with a slender lead of just 16 seconds.
“I’m so exhausted that I can’t even speak”, he told the official Tour de France website.
Valverde dropped off as the breakaway group’s lead, which had risen to two minutes, was under one minute. “It was pretty hard out there”.
Froome is right to be wary.
And it’s notable that the lead he does have is the result of a daring descent on stage 8, set up by a surprising attack over the top of the day’s final climb. I thought I would give it [attacking downhill] a try.
“We actually had an email from the UCI saying thank you for being the most co-operative team out of everybody when it comes to bike checks and mechanical checking”.
Carrying yellow brings its own pressures and obligations, but the 31-year-old appeared entirely comfortable as the riders enjoyed an easier day of it in Andorra.
“I’d like to think he was on his limit but he just stuck to my wheel like glue”.
Two-time champion Alberto Contador pulled out with a fever midway through the stage. Among the pre-race favorites, BMC’s Tejay van Garderen has already lost 1:01 to Froome, and Astana’s Fabio Aru trails by 1:23. Frenchman Romain Bardet (AG2r-La Mondiale), who is sixth overall, 44 seconds off the pace, said he was expecting more from the British outfit.
“Hopefully they (Froome and Quintana) will be watching each other and maybe I can go away”.
“I feel that this is going to be the biggest battle of my career”, said Froome, who won the Tour in 2013 and 2015. “The level is higher and I have to fight for every second I can”. “This year (Froome) has said he has delayed his preparation to be stronger in the last week”.
“If I have a bad day, no stress”.
“I’m a time trialist so if I have a gap it’s hard to close it on me”, Dumoulin added. The only negative was his inability to drop his rivals on stage nine’s summit finish at Andorre Arcalis. “Then in the finale it was apocalyptic”.
Was he holding back with a view to making a charge on Thursday’s next crucial day for the overall contenders, that being stage 12 from Montpellier to the summit of Mont Ventoux, after which there is the 37.5km stage 13 time-trial from Bourg-Saint-Andéol the next day?
The Dutchman has now won stages in three consecutive Grand Tours following victories in last year’s Vuelta a Espana and May’s Giro d’Italia.
Approaching the finish line, Dumoulin turned around to make eye contact with his team director in a vehicle behind him then, on the verge of tears, stuck his tongue out and raised his arms in celebration.
A stage that began under a blistering sun and temperatures reaching 41 Celsius in Spain ended in Dantesque conditions with driving rain and even hail in Andorra.
Seven-time grand our victor, Alberto Contador, crashed heavily on his left shoulder on the race’s opening stage from Mount Saint Michel and then crashed on his right shoulder the next day.
“Froome is quite strong, his team is quite strong but I m better than previous years”, said the 26-year-old Colombian.
“It was a surprise also for me”, Sagan said.
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ESCALDES-ENGORDANY, Andorra – It was mentioned the other day that the Tour de France is being raced like a game of poker. It was the second spectator contact incident in consecutive days.
