German Rider Uses Breakaway To Win In Stage 9

There was an immediate breakaway near the start of stage 9, but they were felled back in by the peloton after the first climb. But a second breakaway proved effective, as German Rider Tony Martin got out in front and was able to stay there until the finish. Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland and Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium finished second and third, leading a group of 18 riders finishing 2 minutes and 45 seconds behind Martin. This stage also saw Vincenzo Nibali of Italy give up the overall lead in the race to Tony Gallopin of France (the first time a Frenchmen has held the overall lead in quite a while).

Stage 10 will be an even more difficult mountain stage -- with a category 3 climb, two category 2 climbs, and four very tough category 1 climbs, with the race finishing at the top of the last category 1 climb. Here are the current standings:

YELLOW JERSEY (Overall Race Leader)
1. Tony Gallopin (France) Lotto-Belisol
2. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) Astana Pro Team..........1' 34"
3. Tiago Machado (Portugal) Team Netapp-Endura..........2' 40"
4. Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark) Astana Pro Team..........3' 18"
5. Richie Porte (Australia) Team Sky..........3' 32"
6. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Omega Pharma-Quick Step..........4' 00"
7. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spain) Movistar Team..........4' 01"
8. Pierre Rolland (France) Team Europcar..........4' 07"
9. Alberto Contador (Spain) Tinkoff-Saxo..........4' 08"
10. Romain Bardet (France) AG2R La Mondiale..........4' 13"
11. Rui Alberto Costa (Portugal) Lampre-Merida..........4' 26"
12. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands) belkin Pro Cycilng..........4' 36"
13. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) Lotto-Belisol..........4' 36"
14. Cyril Gautier (France) Team Europcar..........4' 44"
15. Thibaut Pinot (France) FDJ.FR..........5' 06"
16. Tejay Van Garderen (United States) BMC Racing Team..........5' 08"

GREEN JERSEY (Best Sprinter)
1. Peter Sagan (Slovakia) Cannondale..........267 pts
2. Bryan Coquard (France) Team Europcar..........156 pts
3. Marcel Kittel (Germany) Team Giant-Shimano..........146 pts
4. Alexander Kristoff (Norway) Team Katusha..........117 pts
5. Mark Renshaw (Australia) Omega Pharma-Quick Step..........101 pts
6. Andre Greipel (Germany) Lotto-Belisol..........98 pts

POLKA DOT JERSEY (Best Climber)
1. Tony Martin (Germany) Omega Pharma-Quick Step..........18 pts
2. Blel Kadri (France) AG2R La Mondiale..........17 pts
3. Alessandro De Marchi (Italy) Cannondale..........17 pts
4. Nicolas Edet (France) Cofidis, Solutions Credits..........12 pts
5. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain) Team Katusha..........11 pts
6. Thomas Voeckler (France) Team Europcar..........8 pts

WHITE JERSEY (Best Young Rider)
1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
2. Romain Bardet (France) AG2R La Mondiale..........0' 13"
3. Thibaut Pinot (France) FDJ.FR..........1' 06"
4. Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) Team Giant-Shimano..........4' 08"
5. Peter Sagan (Slovakia) Cannondale..........16' 11"

TEAM STANDINGS
1. Astana Pro Team (Kazakhstan)
2. Belkin Pro Cycling (Netherlands)..........0' 22"
3. AG2R La Mondiale (France)..........0' 53"
4. Team Sky (Great Britain)..........5' 31"
5. Omega Pharma-Quick Step (Belgium)..........9' 31"