Canada’s Michael Woods pulled off a career-best victory on the iconic Puy de Dôme, overhauling Matteo Jorgenson within the final kilometer on Stage 9 of the 2023 Tour de France.
The 182 km stage, which culminated in a merciless 13 km summit finish up the Puy de Dôme, began with an immediate formation of a 14-man breakaway.
Woods showed his phenomenal climbing prowess, catching and passing the heartbroken Jorgenson in the final 400 meters of the legendary climb.
Jorgenson had led the stage for a significant portion but was passed in the last stretch by not only Woods but also Pierre Latour and Matej Mohorič, resulting in a bitter fourth-place finish.
Meanwhile, the battle for the yellow jersey saw some shake-ups as Pogačar managed to gain an 8-second advantage over Vingegaard.
The Slovenian Pogačar sprinted powerfully in the final few hundred meters, leaving the Dane to recover from a small loss.
Jorgenson’s Heartbreak
It was a crushing day for the young American Matteo Jorgenson, who seemed to have Stage 9 in his grasp until the brutal final kilometer.
Jorgenson had strategically set out solo, gambling on the potential that the larger group would not catch him.
His plan worked for a while, as he led the stage for an extended period, showing remarkable strength and determination.
However, without his radio for the last stretch of the climb, Jorgenson was left to rely on the intermittent time gaps provided by a following motorcycle.
A late surge from Michael Woods saw him power past Jorgenson, leaving the American with little left to respond.
As if that wasn’t enough, Pierre Latour and Matej Mohorič also managed to overtake Jorgenson in the last 200 meters, leading to a heartbreaking fourth-place finish for him, who had fought valiantly all day.
“I knew I had to be patient”
When asked about his victorious ride up the Puy de Dôme, Woods stated, “I knew I had to be patient.
“I knew Matteo Jorgenson was strong and had a good gap, but I also knew the final climb on the Puy de Dôme was brutal.”
Woods managed his energy expertly, staying with the breakaway group for much of the race before making a decisive move in the last kilometer.
“I decided to keep a steady pace, conserve my energy during the breakaway, and give everything I had in the last 500 meters. It was a tough, tough day, but seeing Jorgenson ahead in the last kilometer, I knew I had to give it my all. And it paid off!”
Vingegaard Maintains Yellow Jersey but Advantage Shrinks
The race for the yellow jersey continues to be fiercely contested.
Tadej Pogačar managed to distance Jonas Vingegaard late in the stage, securing an 8-second advantage.
Pogačar’s strategic sprinting in the final few hundred meters of the stage made a clear statement, leaving Vingegaard to recover from the minor loss.
While Vingegaard retains the lead, this stage has shown that every second will count in this thrilling battle for the yellow jersey.
As the Tour progresses, their rivalry is sure to provide more drama and excitement for spectators.
Tour de France 2023: Stage 9 Results
1. Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech): 4 Hours, 19 Minutes, 41 Seconds
2. Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies): + 28 secs
3. Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious): + 35 secs
4. Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar Team): + 36 secs
5. Clément Berthet (AG2R Citroën Team): + 55 secs
6. Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost): + 1 min, 23 secs
7. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team): + 1 min, 39 secs
8. Jonas Gregaard (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team): + 1 min, 58 secs
9. Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies): + 2 mins, 16 secs
10. David De La Cruz (Astana Qazaqstan Team): + 2 mins 34 secs
Tour de France 2023 General Classification Standings After Stage 9
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma): 38 Hours, 37 Minutes, 46 Seconds
2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates): + 17 secs
3. Jai Hindley (BORA-hansgrohe): + 2 mins, 40 secs
4. Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers): + 4 mins, 22 secs
5. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates): + 4 mins, 39 secs
6. Simon Yates (Team Jayco AlUla): + 4 mins, 44 secs
7. Thomas Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers): + 5 mins, 26 secs
8. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ): + 6 mins, 1 sec
9. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma): + 6 mins, 45 secs
10. Romain Bardet (DSM): + 6 mins, 58 secs
