TNT Sports
Tour de France 2017: Crashes, chaos, carnage and controversy on road to Chambery
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Published 09/07/2017 at 20:34 GMT+1
Stage 9 of the Tour de France was an overload of everything – the good, the bad and the ugly. From bone breaks to questionable attacks, tears of misplaced joy to mechanical mayhem – the pendulum of emotions swung this way and that, ultimately favouring forgotten man, Rigoberto Uran.
Warren Barguil in tears after believing he has won stage 9 of the 2017 Tour de France
Image credit: Getty Images
Gosh, where to start…?
The crashes that came thick and fast from the outset, seeing more than 20 hit the deck in a litany of incidents, and would see a handful of riders – including some of the big-name favourites – head to hospital?
The harrowing cries of a shoulder-shanked Manuele Mori after he came down badly in a crash on the first of seven climbs alongside Robert Gesink, who himself fractured a vertebra?
The sight of Geraint Thomas – his jersey torn – slumped on the road, his second Grand Tour in three months coming to a premature end?
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'Bad news for Sky!' Thomas crashes out of Tour
Video credit: TNT Sports
The virtual yellow jerseys of Alexis Vuillermoz and a resurgent Carlos Betancur?
The moment Ag2R-La Mondiale attacked on all fronts – from the break and from the peloton – off the back of the Tour’s first ever ascent of the Col de la Biche?
The Peter Sagan-esque ride from Michael Matthews to take maximum points in the intermediate sprint after two of three HC climbs?
The moment Fabio Aru attacked on the Mont du Chat just moments after the yellow jersey had visibly raised his hand to signal a mechanical issue?
The heated debate over the unwritten rules of cycling that lambasted Aru and Nairo Quintana for sticking the knife in?
The school of thought that, well, this is a bike race after all, and it should be ridden even when the race leader has a minor mechanical at the most critical point of the key climb of the day.
The gesture of good will from Richie Porte and Dan Martin to slow the pace while Chris Froome rode back into contention?
The grim twist of fortune that saw Porte crash quite horrifically into a wall – taking Martin with him in the process?
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Porte's terrible crash with Martin ends his campaign
Video credit: TNT Sports
The polka-dot push of Warren Barguil – back to his best after fracturing a pelvis earlier in the season?
The handing of the baton over from Barguil to Romain Bardet after a day of Ag2R-La Mondiale domination in the team’s back garden looked destined to result in a victory outside their Chambery headquarters?
The fight back of the chasing yellow jersey group and the untimely gearing issue – caused during the melee of the Porte and Martin crash – that saw Rigoberto Uran needing help from the neutral Mavic car at a key moment of the race?
The sight of Uran grinding an impossible gear on a final uphill ramp before the run to the finish?
The hope that two of the rank outsiders may come up trumps after either riding off the front all day or being lumbered with a dud derailleur?
The thrilling six-way sprint at the end of a 181.5km stage that felt like it was ten times longer – a stage that included more drama than the entire first week of the race?
The unexpected, inspired and rousing fight-back by Barguil, which resulted in the second photo finish of this year’s race?
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Uran takes victory over Barguil by width of tyre
Video credit: TNT Sports
The punching of the air from Barguil and subsequent tears of joy on being told he had won a maiden stage win on the Tour?
The cruel (or wonderful) twist that saw Uran declared the winner – all while Barguil had started to deliver his victory speech?
The reminder that Barguil had beaten Uran four years ago in a photo finish, and so it was probably fair enough that the Colombian had managed to turn the tables?
The brave battling back by a bloodied Martin, limiting his losses to just over a minute alongside a faltering Nairo Quintana?
The sight of the broken helmet that may have saved Martin’s life?
The confirmation that Alberto Contador’s time as a credible yellow jersey contender are over after the Spaniard crashed twice and came home more than four minutes down?
The news that Poland’s Rafal Majka lost more than 34 minutes after coming down badly in the crash that ended Thomas’ Tour?
The sight of the ill French national champion and three FDJ team-mates come home almost one hour behind to learn that they had missed the time cut and would be ousted from the race?
The emerging video footage that seemed to show Froome attempting to ride Aru off the road following their spat?
The subsequent jokes and banter – not to mention well wishes – from riders in the peloton after what will surely be the pivotal stage in this year’s Tour?
Or the smile of one of the peloton's nice guys after winning his first stage on the Tour de France?
So, where to start? Come to think of it, how about we finish right there?
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