#TDF13: Stage 9 – Froome holds on but Sky blow up!

After a really hard day in the Pyrénees Christopher Froome has held on to the Yellow Jersey and his time advantage. However, Froome had to do it without any assistance from his team who had a bad day with Richie Porte coming in at 17.59 on the day's fine stage winner Daniel Martin and tumbling down from 2nd place to 33rd at 18.30 behind his leader Chris Froome. Alejandro Valverde has moved up into second place. 

Froome was attacked on several occasions on the final climb of the day mainly by Quintana but he neutralised all the attacks.      

 

The Tour now moves to Brittany for the first rest day. The next likely GC day will be on Wednesday with the individual time trial. This should be a chance for Froome to put further time into his rivals. Before that there will be a chance for the sprinters in the run to Saint Malo on Tuesday.     

Standings after Stage 8

1. Chris Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling

2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team @ 1’25”

3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling @ 1’44”

4. Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling @ 1’50”

5. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Team Saxo-Tinkoff @ 1’51”

6. Alberto Contador (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff @ 1'51"

7. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team @ 2’02”

8. Daniel Martin (Ire) Garmin-Sharp 2.28

9. Joaquim Rodríguez (Spa) Katusha Team @ 2’31” 

10. Rui da Costa (Movistar) 2.45 
11. Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.55

12. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana 3.07

13. Michal Kwiatowski (Pol) 3.25
14. Jean-Christophe Péraud  (AG2R) 3.29

15. Andy Schleck (Radioshack) 4.00 
16. Cadel Evans (BMC) 4.10  

Daniel Martin, with his first Tour stage win, now joins the list of all time stage winners.