"Mathieu van der Poel lunges for victory, narrowly missing championship-sealing Tour de France stage nine success"
Alpecin-Deceuninck's Bold Attempt Falls Short in Fast-Paced Stage 9 of the Tour de France
In a thrilling display of aggression and endurance, Mathieu van der Poel and his team-mate Jonas Rickaert attempted a daring two-man breakaway during Stage 9 of the 2025 Tour de France. The stage, which took place between Le Havre and Châteauroux, became the second-fastest in Tour de France history, with an average speed exceeding 50 kph.
The duo, riding on the Canyon Aeroad CFR bikes, maintained their lead for over 170 kilometers. Their strategy was to challenge the expected sprint finish in Châteauroux by maintaining a lead over the peloton. However, despite their efforts, they were caught inside the final kilometer. Van der Poel also attempted a solo move with 6 kilometers to go, but was caught just 800 meters from the line.
The breakaway, while impressive, ultimately failed to yield a win for several reasons. The peloton, highly motivated to catch the breakaway, particularly as the stage was considered a sprinter's stage, was able to keep the pace high to ensure a bunch finish. The peloton was also cautious not to allow a breakaway to succeed on a stage that was expected to favor sprinters. Additionally, Stage 9 faced crosswind threats, which could have disrupted the breakaway's pace and stability, making it easier for the peloton to catch up.
Despite the failure to win, the breakaway highlighted the speed and competitiveness of the Canyon Aeroad CFR bike, which was instrumental in their aggressive strategy. Rickaert was awarded the combativity award for his efforts during the stage.
Tim Merlier, riding for another team, ultimately claimed victory in Stage 9. This was Merlier's second victory of the Tour de France. The city of Châteauroux was decorated with "Cavendish" City signs in honor of the sprinter who won there three times previously.
Mathieu van der Poel, who wore the yellow jersey twice during this year's Tour de France, expressed happiness for Rickaert's combativity award. Christoph Roodhoft, sports director of Alpecin-Deceuninck, expressed disappointment despite the team's performance in Stage 9. Rickaert's dream is to be on the Tour de France podium.
The sprint trains had their day again in Stage 9, instead of Alpecin-Deceuninck. Silvan Dillier, among the first Alpecin-Deceuninck riders to return from Stage 9, attempted to disrupt the sprint trains during the stage. Alpecin's bus was parked far from the finish line after Stage 9.
Despite the disappointing result, the bold attempt by Van der Poel and Rickaert promises an exciting future for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team.
- The Alpecin-Deceuninck team, despite their bold attempt in the two-man breakaway during Stage 9 of the Tour de France, saw sports director Christoph Roodhoft express disappointment.
- Jonas Rickaert, awarded the combativity award in Stage 9, has expressed dreams of being on the Tour de France podium, indicating a continued interest in competitive sports.
