John Degenkolb survived the cobbles to win the dramatic 9th stage of the 2018 Tour de France.
When egenkolb thrust his arms in the air after crossing the line and taking the victory in stage nine at the Tour de France today, it was not the biggest win of his career, but perhaps the most important.
After three years of struggle to reach the top again after a life-threatening and nearly career-ending accident, and Degenkolb took an emotional victory after a thrilling stage nine that included 15 cobblestone sectors of his familiar terrain.
“Pure happiness,” answered Degenkolb when asked what was going through his mind when he had won. “I was chasing this victory for so long, and it’s really hard to describe. It was a really hard fight the whole day. It’s also a victory of the team. We really had a plan to stay out for the trouble all the time and it really worked out really well. It’s unbelievable.”
A well-prepared Trek-Segafredo avoided misfortune that so often has plagued the team in the past and rode the stage to perfection.
In the closing kilometers, the team had Jasper Stuyven, John Degenkolb, Toms Skujins and Bauke Mollema in the vastly reduced peloton.
While other GC contenders fought off crashes and punctures, some losing crucial time, Bauke Mollema avoided any drastic incident, thanks to a well-laid plan and dedicated teammates. When Bauke did puncture, Michael Gogl was there to hand him his bike, and Mollema was back in the peloton in a flash.
With Mollema safe in the leading peloton in the closing kilometers, Stuyven was the first to mark an attack of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). Later it was Stuyven who laid down his own attack into sector four, softening up the competition, and when Van Avermaet went again in sector two, John Degenkolb was ready.
Three riders emerged in the lead after the penultimate cobblestone sector: the yellow jersey, Degenkolb and Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Floors).
The trio gained time quickly, and soon it was apparent that they would be fighting out the stage win. On paper, Degenkolb was the quickest. But we all know that hardly matters out on the road – Degenkolb had plenty of “almosts” in the last two years and plenty of demons to rid.
Degenkolb assumed the lead in the last kilometer, which is never a good idea for most, but he knew what everyone watching did not: “I was focusing on the race, trying to stay calm. I felt good and then [in the sprint] you don’t have to think,” he said afterward.
Leading out the sprint, it was no contest: Degenkolb easily. In the last few years, he had never stopped believing. Today he showed why.
“In relation to what has happened in the last two years, this is pretty unbelievable. So many people said he’s done, he’s over, he will never come back. I am so happy to show all these guys who didn’t believe me that I am still there, I am still alive. I think that’s also what I took out of this accident: that you have to be happy after such a horrible crash that you are still alive, you’re still there. I was fighting my way back, and I am so proud.”
“This is a very big victory, since a very long time,” continued an emotional Degenkolb. “I have been through a lot of things in the past, and it was such a hard time. I want to dedicate this victory to one of my best friends who passed away last winter. This was really something for him because I said no, I am not done. I have to make at least one really big victory him, he was like my second Father.”
“It’s so great now to be on the highest level again. There’s no way to make it more dramatic, more fantastic, than winning a stage like today. It can’t get better than this.”
Van Avermaet Holds Yellow, Porte Crashes Out
BMC Racing Team experienced mixed fortunes on Tour de France stage 9 today with Greg Van Avermaet sprinting to second to keep the yellow jersey at the finish line while Richie Porte was caught up in a crash during the opening kilometers and was forced to abandon the race.
It was a devastating start to the highly anticipated stage from Arras to Roubaix for BMC Racing Team with Porte involved in a crash, after less than 10km of the 156.5km course, that left him with a fractured right clavicle, BMC Racing Team Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Max Testa confirmed.
“Richie has been discharged by the hospital and the diagnosis is that he has a non-displaced right clavicle fracture. He will need to rest for a week before he considers starting to ride on the home trainer. From what we know at this point, it looks like a straightforward injury and one that is quite common in cycling. We are expecting him to be back on the bike training in probably three to four weeks and potentially racing in six to eight weeks. We will continue to monitor Richie’s recovery and adjust the plan accordingly,” Dr. Testa explained.
Porte is understandably disappointed about being forced to abandon the Tour de France.
“Obviously I’m devastated. For the second year in a row I am ending the Tour de France like this. I was on the ground before I knew it and straight away felt pain in my right shoulder. I want to say a big thank you to my teammates for their incredible work over the first nine days. We had a great first week and I’m so disappointed that I won’t be continuing to Paris. I hope to recover as fast as possible and get back to racing,” Porte said.
“After the crash, I just had to switch to trying to do my own race. It’s a bike race and it goes on so, I tried to do my best for the whole team and keep the jersey,” BMC Racing Team leader Greg Van Avermaet said. “The closer we got to the finish, the more I started believing and this result is a big disappointment for me. Maybe the race wasn’t long enough for me really. I have a good sprint after six hours and today it was only 3 hours 30 minutes. I tried to do my own sprint instead of waiting for him [Degenkolb] but next time, I will try again and try to beat him. I was really aiming for that win in yellow and it didn’t happen but that’s how it goes. Overall, I kept the jersey and made a great race out of the stage and this is also something. I was really happy with my shape and it’s been special to wear the yellow jersey.
“Losing Richie was a big disappointment for the whole team because we were here to bring him to Paris. You have some bad luck one year and you normally come back and then everything goes well. But for this to happen two year’s in a row is sad for Richie. He was well-prepared and in good shape in Switzerland so we really believed in him. I wish him all the best in his recovery and hopefully, he is back soon. Now, we will try to make the most out of the second and third week. It will be a little bit more relaxed but we will try to do as good as possible.”
2018 Tour de France Stage 9 Brief Results
- John Degenkolb (GER) Trek – Segafredo 3:24:26
- Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) BMC Racing Team “
- Yves Lampaert (BEL) Quick-Step Floors “
- Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Quick-Step Floors +19
- Peter Sagan (SVK) BORA – hansgrohe “
- Jasper Stuyven (BEL) Trek – Segafredo “
- Bob Jungels (LUX) Quick-Step Floors “
- André Greipel (GER) Lotto – Soudal +27
- Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Team Dimension Data “
- Timothy Dupont (BEL) Wanty – Groupe Gobert “
General Classification After Stage 9
- Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) BMC Racing Team 36:07:17
- Geraint Thomas (GBR) Team Sky +43″
- Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Quick-Step Floors +44″
- Bob Jungels (LUX) Quick-Step Floors +50″
- Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar Team +1:31″
- Rafal Majka (POL) BORA – hansgrohe +1:32″
- Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) Astana Pro Team +1:33″
- Chris Froome (GBR) Team Sky +1:42″
- Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton – Scott s.t.
- Mikel Landa (ESP) Movistar Team s.t.
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