Merlier wins the sprint, but Van der Poel stole the stage
Stage 9 was meant to be a copy of the day before - flat roads, a bunch sprint, a predictable script. But this time, someone tore up the script.
From the moment the flag dropped, Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Rickaert took off. While the peloton hesitated and the wind teased, they dug in. Their gap never felt safe, but it never quite collapsed either. By the time Rickaert swung off with 6 km to go, Van der Poel was out there alone.
Behind, GC teams poked at the wind, hoping for cracks. But the front of the race belonged to Van der Poel - powering alone past the flamme rouge, chased by a peloton that only just caught him in the final kilometre. Then came the sprint - Merlier quickest, Milan second, De Lie third - but the memory that lingers is the one-man (ok, two-man) show that almost stole it all.
What to read today at Domestique?
Matteo Jorgenson predicts 'big explosion' on Bastille Day at Tour de France
A sprint stage clearly doesn't have to be boring - Marcel Kittel Tour de France analysis
'It was a joke' - Van der Poel helps Rickaert to Tour de France podium
'Bert gave me confidence' - Merlier credits Van Lerberghe for Tour de France success
'A dream of mine' - Rickaert awarded combativity prize after breakaway with Van der Poel
‘Sprinters' teams are not doing themselves any favours’ - argues Tour de France route director
Looking ahead to tomorrow, we’d just like to say: clear your schedule. This could be a stage to remember. The course is brutal, built for chaos and spectacle.
Read our full preview for stage 10 here.
And finally, don’t miss our daily podcast with Aiden Burgess and Cyrus Monk. Enjoy their latest episode!
Best,
Team Domestique