Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) was able to hold off a charging Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb) at the line during a grueling Stage 9, and capture victory on a big day in the mountains at the 104th Tour de France.
The peloton faced a considerable climb from the start, as Lotto-Soudal rider Tim Wellens was the first to attack on the initial ascent.
Accomplished climber Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) soon put in a surge to catch Wellens on the attack, and at the summit of le Cote de Neyrolles, Pinot was the first to reach the top, ahead of Wellens, and capture five points towards the mountains classification.
Pinot and Wellens were soon brought back into the chase pack, as a group of 32 riders had built a 1 minute 20 second lead on the peloton.
On the second climb of the day on the Col de Berentin, Pinot was once again able to reach the summit first, as Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) followed in second.
30 kilometers into the stage, the large lead group had built their lead on the peloton up to 2 minutes 25 seconds.
After his second place finish on the Col de Berentin earlier in the stage, De Gendt was able to attack on the third climb of the day to the Cote de Franciens and take two points in the mountains classification.
The next climb, to the summit of le Col de la Biche, was the first HC category climb the riders would face on the day and took the riders up 9% average gradient for 10.5 kilometers.
As the lead group rode 1 kilometer from the top of le Col de la Biche, Laurens Ten Dam (Team Sunweb) led the pack, which held a 5 minute 30 second gap on the peloton.
Primoz Roglic (Lotto NL-Jumbo) proved to be the strongest rider on the first HC climb of the day, reaching the summit first and capturing 20 points in the mountains classification, ahead of Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale), Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb), and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ).
As the lead pack approached the second HC climb of the day at le Grand Colombier, only four riders remained in front.
Warren Barguil, Alexis Vuillermoz, Jarlinson Pantano (Trek-Segafredo), and Tiejs Benoot (Lotto-Soudal), began the climb to the summit of le Grand Colombier together in front.
Barguil captured the second HC summit race of the day, followed 20 seconds later by Tiejs Benoot, with Vuillermoz and Roglic summiting soon after.
With 55 kilometers to go, Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) had fought his way from the peloton into the lead group, as he won the intermediate sprint at Massignieu-de-Rives, ahead of Jan Bakelants (AG2R La Mondiale) and Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal).
On the stage's penultimate climb up le Cote de Jongieux, Bakelants took the single mountains classification point, as the leaders approached the final climb of the day up to the summit of le Mont du Chat.
Bakelants and Gallopin were the first to reach the foot of the climb up Mont de Chat, with Warren Barguil riding 30 second behind.
With 1 kilometer left on the climb up Mont du Chat, Barguil led the chase pack with current yellow jersey holder Chris Froome by 35 seconds. Barguil was able to summit Mont du Chat first, and secure the polka dot jersey as leader of the mountains classification going into the first rest day at this year's edition of the Tour of France.
11 kilometers from the finish in Chambery, Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) put in a surge to separate himself from the lead pack.
2 kilometers from the line however, Bardet was caught, as a group of six riders fought for the stage victory.
Rigoberto Uran was ultimately able to hold off Warren Barguil as he charged to the line, and captured a memorable victory on Stage 9 in the mountains.
Taking third through fifth for the stage were Chris Froome, Romain Bardet, and Fabio Aru (Astana).
Chris Froome will retain the yellow jersey, as he will hold an 18 second lead in the general classification over second-place Fabio Aru, while Romain Bardet moved up into third place in the general classification after a gutsy showing on Stage 9.
Marcel Kittel holds onto the green jersey after Stage 9, as Michael Matthews moved up to second place in the point classification after capturing the intermediate sprint as Massignieu-de-Rives.
Warren Barguil will wear the polka dot jersey with a 30 point cushion in the mountains classification going into Monday's rest day, after twice being the first rider to reach the summit on the three HC category climbs of the day.
Team Sky kept their lead in the team classification, as AG2R La Mondiale put in a great showing in the mountains to move up into the second spot in the team standings, 7 minutes 12 seconds behind Team Sky.
Monday will mark the first rest day at the 104th Tour de France, in Dordogne. The race will resume on Tuesday, where the field will depart from Perigueux.
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