News : Tour de France: Daryl Impey wins, Julian Alaphilippe defends Yellow Jersey

South African Daryl Impey won the ninth round of the Tour over 170.5 kilometers from Saint-Étienne to Brioud. The 34-year-old Mitchelton-Scott teamed up with Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) a few kilometers from the finish line, but defeated the Belgian on the final stretch in a duel. Jan Tratnik (Bahrain-Merida) came as the leader of the chase group as the third driver to the finish. Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) was the 22nd French rider on the National Day in the yellow jersey, and was able to defend his lead in the overall standings.

Immediately after the race was opened, the first attack was made by German rider Nils Politt (Katusha Alpecin). Eleven other drivers around Tim Wellens and Wout van Aert caught up with Politt quickly and sat down. But 20 minutes later, the field moved back together, as Alaphilippe himself in the yellow jersey on the pace and thus pulled the field along.

Only a little later, the next attack took place. And this time a group of 14 riders sat down to Tony Martin (Jumbo-Visma) and Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Marc Soler (Movistar) could catch up. Now 14 riders from 15 different teams drove off the field. However, with Nicolas Roche of Team Sunweb 23 minutes behind Alaphilippe in the overall standings, the Deceuninck-Quick-Step team remained relaxed.

Jeff Pachoud / AFP

Lukas Pöstlberger ripped off alone, but was overtaken

The first mountain classification went to George Bennet, the jumbo Visma team-mate of Wellens, the leader in the mountain classification. About 45 kilometers from the finish, a six-man group rode to Roche again, but only Pöstlberger managed to break away.

The pursuers tried to catch up with the Austrian again and further increased the distance to the peloton. Bora Hansgrohe team manager Ralph Denk told ARD that the team is hoping for "disagreement between the pursuers". Up to 30 seconds Pöstlberger drove away, but a seven-man chase group around Roche came closer and closer.

But the pursuers not only caught up with Pöstlberger, they also pulled him away. Roche and Benoot then pulled away, keeping Tratnik at bay. But Daryl Impey drove up, secured the third mountain classification and, together with the opening Soler for a new leadership quartet. Benoot set the pace again, Impey followed the Belgian, but Roche had to tear down.

Before the finish Benoot and Impey drove side by side, shortly before the South African attacked successfully and secured the stage victory.

Also on the ninth stage it had come to a heavy fall. The Italian Alessandro De Marchi came down already ten kilometers after the start and remained motionless for a while. He was then transported away by ambulance and pulled to the first statements of his team cracking to the face.

Before the first day of rest on Tuesday, the tenth stage on Monday (12:10, live ticker SPIEGEL ONLINE / TV: ARD) over 217.5 kilometers from Saint-Flour to Albi.