CYCLING: Van der Poel rides to victory in Tour de France stage nine, Pogacar retains yellow

USSEL, France – Mathieu van der Poel claimed victory in Stage 9 of the Tour de France on Sunday, winning a dramatic sprint to the finish to earn his first Grand Tour stage victory of the year.

The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider edged Tobias Johannessen and Tom Pidcock in a thrilling finish after an aggressive day of racing. Four-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar crossed the line shortly afterward to retain the overall race lead.

The victory marked the third Tour de France stage win of Van der Poel's career and a memorable return after he was forced to abandon last year's race because of pneumonia.

"I spent a lot of energy trying to keep the breakaway alive with all the pressure from the peloton. The roads were difficult, there were strong headwinds, and we fought for it. I'm happy to finish it off," Van der Poel said.

The stage, which was shortened by approximately 30 kilometers because of extreme heat, began in Malemort and finished in Ussel. Riders endured temperatures exceeding 34 degrees Celsius as multiple attacks unfolded in the opening hour. An early five-man breakaway was eventually reeled in before the Côte de Naves climb.

The race intensified after 59 kilometers when a group of 15 riders broke away from the peloton. Tom Pidcock later joined the lead group, while Quinn Simmons and Tobias Johannessen attempted to increase their advantage before Pidcock closed the gap.

With about 30 kilometers remaining, the peloton trailed by more than a minute as Van der Poel helped drive the pace at the front. He launched another attack on the climb to Mont Bessou, further splitting the lead group while the main field remained behind.

Pidcock briefly suffered a mechanical problem but quickly recovered to rejoin the front group alongside Van der Poel, Johannessen, and Alex Baudin. The quartet held a lead of 42 seconds entering the final 10 kilometers.

Although the peloton closed the gap dramatically in the final 300 meters, the four leaders managed to contest the stage victory. Van der Poel produced the strongest finishing sprint, crossing the line first with his arms raised in celebration.

Following Monday's rest day, the Tour de France resumes Tuesday with a challenging 166.6-kilometer mountain stage from Aurillac to Le Lioran. -Reporting by Vincent Daheron; Writing by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Clare Fallon/Reuters