Stage 9 - Fedrigo Continues French Run In Tarbes

The 2009 Tour de France is becoming a year out for the French. Following previous stage wins from Thomas Voeckler and Brice Feillu, Pierrick Fedrigo added his name to the French honours list after taking out Stage 9, a short but difficult 160.5km stage from Saint Gaudens to Tarbes.

Fedrigo was part of a four man breakaway that led over the infamous Col du Tormalet some 70km from the finish, and the escape did just enough on the descent to hold off the fast finishing peleton. Fedrigo, perhaps surprisingly, was able to out manoeuvre his more fancied breakaway companion, Franco Pellizotti at the finish. The Italian finished second on the stage. Filling the podium was Oscar Freiere, who led a swelling main group of over 70 riders home in third place, some 34 seconds behind the stage winner.

With the big climbs of the day so far from the finish the GC men kept their cues in the rack, with no real attacks to speak of. Rinaldo Nocentini still holds his slender lead at the top of the overall classification from the Astana due of Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong. However, there was yet another change in the mountains competition. Egoi Martinez managed to get himself into a small group that chased the break, and gained enough points to take the polka dot jersey off the shoulders of Christophe Kern. He now leads the classification by 19 points and is arguably the first wearer this year who could actually hold the jersey all the way to Paris.

Stage 9 concluded the Pyreneean stage of the race, and it has to be said, one of the duller Pyreneean sections in years. The race organisers have decoded, in their wisdom, to place all but one of the big climbs a long distance from the finish and that has prevented any major shake ups in the overall standings. Obviously this makes for an exciting last week but the Pyreneean stages have certainly lacked the atmosphere and excitement of years past as a result. Perhaps this is something the organisers need to look at in 2010.

Yellow Jersey - Rinaldo Nocentini
Green Jersey - Thor Hushovd
Polka Dot Jersey - Egoi Martinez
White Jersey - Tony Martin

Photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports.